CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

National Stadium

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what the cost will be of the athletics platform referred to in the Sport England report on athletics in Wembley stadium; and how long it will take to build and install;
	(2)  who produced the Sport England report on athletics in Wembley stadium; when it will be published; and if the members of the Sports Council athletics committee considered the report.

Tessa Jowell: Sport England published the study on Wembley stadium athletics prepared by Sports Concepts and Citex on 8 May. I placed a copy in the Library of the House on the same day. The full council of Sport England considered the conclusions of the report at its meeting on 7 May. The report concludes that the athletics platform will take a total of 11 weeks to build and install and a further six weeks to remove at a total cost of £12.2 million.

National Stadium

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when (a) her Department's officials and (b) she received Sport England's report on the technical evaluation of athletics proposals for the national stadium project; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: My officials received Sport England's athletics report on 3 May and briefed me on its contents on 7 May ahead of my statement to the House that day. I did not receive a copy of the report until 8 May, immediately prior to its publication. I placed copies in the House Libraries on the same day.

Ofcom

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport for what reasons the proposed contents board was not included in the original Bill to set up the Office of Communications; what the composition of the contents board will be; and what the remit of the contents board will be in relation to radio.

Kim Howells: The Government published a draft of the Communications Bill on 7 May for consultation. This draft Bill includes a proposal to require Ofcom to establish a 'Content Board' which will have the principal function of ensuring that the public interest in the nature and quality of television and radio programmes is sufficiently represented within Ofcom's overall structure.
	The OFCOM Act 2002, which established Ofcom earlier this year, dealt with the basic framework of Ofcom at the main board level and was intended to allow the process of establishing Ofcom as a body to get under way while the substantive Communications Bill, which will give it regulatory responsibilities, is debated. The structure and remit of the content board are best seen in conjunction with Ofcom's functions, in particular the detailed broadcasting functions which are set out in the draft Communications Bill and particularly in relation to broadcast content including radio.
	The structure of the content board is set out clearly in the draft Bill. It will consist of a chairman, who will be a non-executive member of Ofcom (but not the chairman of Ofcom), and as many other members appointed by Ofcom as Ofcom shall think fit. Ofcom is specifically required to ensure that there is a different member of the content board capable of representing the interests and opinions of persons living in each of the nations of the United Kingdom.

Queen's Jubilee Medal

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if the Queen's Jubilee medal will be issued to the Royal Parks Constabulary in time for the Jubilee weekend; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: In view of the number of medals required for the emergency services—an estimated 185,000—responsible Government Departments have agreed a phased delivery over 12 months in line with the Royal Mint's production capacity. Under current plans, medals for the Royal Parks Constabulary will be delivered in October 2002.

Queen's Jubilee Medal

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the Queen's Jubilee medal will be issued to the qualifying groups that will receive it.

Tessa Jowell: Distribution to the armed forces and to the holders of the Victoria Cross or the George Cross is due to be completed by the end of 2002. Under current plans, members of the emergency services will receive their medals by 2 June 2003.

Golden Jubilee

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will seek a financial contribution to public funds from Her Majesty the Queen towards the costs of Jubilee celebrations.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 13 May 2002
	No. The Golden Jubilee is an occasion for national celebration of 50 years' service by the Queen.

Landmark Projects

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the answers of 25 March 2002, Official Report, column 576W, on landmark projects, when she will write to the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: I wrote to the hon. Member on 10 April 2002 in my capacity as chair of the Millennium Commission and placed copies of my letter in the Libraries of both Houses. I am today sending the hon. Member another copy of my letter.

Digital Television (Audio Description)

Robert Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what measures the Government are undertaking to enable the reception of audio description digital terrestrial television programmes.

Kim Howells: The Government's role is to set the legislative framework within which audio description and other services for people with sensory impairments can be provided and proposals were included in the recently published draft Communications Bill (Cm 5508–1). We are aware of the current difficulties with the production and distribution of the module necessary to receive audio description services on digital terrestrial television. On 30 April I chaired a constructive meeting with the interested parties which identified a number of ways to help them resolve these issues.

Piracy

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment her Department has made of the losses suffered in each of the past five years by the British film, music, retail and rental industries as a result of internet piracy and the production and distribution of illegal copies of film and music; and if she will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: I have been asked to reply.
	Accurate figures for losses due to internet piracy are difficult to gather and distinguish from other misuse of copyright material on the internet. However, a survey carried out by the industry body, the Alliance Against Counterfeiting and Piracy, which broadly represents British interests, estimated losses of £180 million to cinema and home entertainment and £20 million to the music industry in 2000 as a result of piracy generally. We are not aware of any music piracy figures yet for 2001, but industry figures show a 5 per cent. increase in legitimate recorded music sales in the UK in that year. The industry estimates for the years 1997 to 1999 are as follows:
	
		£ million 
		
			 Year Music Film 
		
		
			 1997 18 100 
			 1998 14 120 
			 1999 15 170

HOUSE OF COMMONS

Prefabricated Buildings

Nick Gibb: To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee when the prefabricated buildings to the north of the House of Commons adjacent to Bridge street will be removed; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Conway: The temporary buildings on Speaker's green were erected originally for use by the project teams responsible for the new Westminster station and Portcullis house and by the Refreshment Department while their accommodation was being refurbished. Subsequently they have been used by contractors engaged on major projects in the Palace during the summer recesses. They will be used in this way again this summer, after which they will be demolished and the green restored to its former condition.

DEFENCE

Gulf War Veterans (Illness)

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Gulf War veterans (a) are suffering and (b) have suffered from renal cancers.

Lewis Moonie: Comprehensive data provided by the Office for National Statistics' NHS central register (NHSCR) on cancer registrations in England and Wales are only currently available up to 31 December 1998 and currently up to 31 December 2001 for registrations in Scotland. These data show that up to 31 December 1998 for England and Wales and up to 31 December 2001 for Scotland that seven Gulf veterans have been diagnosed as suffering from renal cancer or malignant neoplasm of the kidney as classified by International Classification of Disease (ICD) 9th Revision code 189.0 and ICD 10th Revision code C64. The Ministry of Defence's Gulf veterans' medical assessment programme had seen a further two veterans with renal cancer as at 13 May 2002. One veteran has, sadly, died. The current health status of the remaining eight veterans is not known to the MOD. The MOD is conducting an analysis of the incidence of all cancers in Gulf veterans with the aim of making the findings available later this year.

Gulf War Veterans (Illness)

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Gulf War veterans (a) are suffering and (b) have suffered from scarring to the (i) kidneys and (ii) liver.

Lewis Moonie: The total number of Gulf veterans who have kidney and or liver scarring could only be established if all Gulf veterans were to undergo medical examination. It is the practice of the Ministry of Defence to examine only those veterans who wish to be examined and are referred by their GP or service medical officer to the Ministry of Defence's Gulf veterans' medical assessment programme (GVMAP). All patients seen at the GVMAP receive abdominal ultrasound examination which can detect kidney and liver scarring. In the absence of other indicators of kidney or liver damage, such scarring is of no clinical significance. Neither is described either in standard medical textbooks or classified by the World Health Organisation's International Classification of Diseases 9th and 10th Revisions. Kidney and liver scarring is therefore an incidental finding, does not cause any suffering and in itself is of no clinical significance in respect of suggestion of a link between ill health and the Gulf conflict. For these reasons, no centralised records are kept of such scarring. However, in a randomly selected anonymised sample of 1,000 patients examined at the GVMAP, one patient had a kidney scar and none had liver scarring. The GVMAP physicians do record kidney and livery damage where the damage is of clinical significance.

Private Gray

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when civilian authorities were advised of the death of Private Gray in Deep Cut camp on 17 September 2001; who was advised; by whom; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on 24 April 2002, Official Report, columns 260–61W and 8 May 2002, Official Report, column 179W.

Recruitment

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many net additional staff his Department has recruited in each month since June 2001 at (a) executive officer level and (b) administrative level.

Lewis Moonie: The information requested is given in the following table:
	
		
			   Executive Officer level  Administrative level  
			 Month/ Type of staff Headcount FTE Headcount FTE 
		
		
			 June 2001 
			 Permanent 8 7.8 39 40.7 
			 Casual -2 -2.0 85 80.3 
			 Total 6 5.8 124 121.0 
			  
			 July 2001 
			 Permanent -5 -4.4 86 82.9 
			 Casual -3 -1.6 277 274.8 
			 Total -8 -6.0 363 357.7 
			  
			 August 2001 
			 Permanent -28 -25.7 41 40.9 
			 Casual 0 0.0 70 71.7 
			 Total -28 -25.7 111 112.6 
			  
			 September 2001 
			 Permanent 6 5.6 39 34.3 
			 Casual 5 5.0 -269 -272.0 
			 Total 11 10.6 -230 -237.6 
			  
			 October 2001 
			 Permanent 25 25.8 124 119.0 
			 Casual 9 7.5 20 18.8 
			 Total 34 33.3 144 137.7 
			  
			 November 2001 
			 Permanent 21 20.3 78 70.9 
			 Casual 8 7.5 45 42.0 
			 Total 29 27.8 123 112.9 
			  
			 December 2001 
			 Permanent -17 -15.7 -8 -10.7 
			 Casual 2 2.1 12 10.0 
			 Total -15 -13.6 4 -0.7 
			  
			 January 2002 
			 Permanent -11 -11.8 -215 -216.4 
			 Casual 6 6.8 44 41.2 
			 Total -5 5.0 -171 -175.2 
			  
			 February 2002 
			 Permanent 4 5.0 -78 -80.4 
			 Casual 3 2.9 19 13.9 
			 Total 7 7.9 -59 -66.4

Young People

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what subjects and on which dates his Department has consulted organisations representing young people; and if he will list such organisations.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence is fully committed to consulting those children and young people to whom we provide services. For example, Cadet Force adult volunteer instructors initiate opportunities to obtain cadets views. The skill force initiative is structured so that participants are required to develop their own learning aims. Still within the MOD, the Service Children Education Agency has instigated in many of its schools "Circle Time". This gives young people the opportunity to express their feelings and concerns and to resolve relationship and behavioural issues.
	The MOD also consults with organisations concerned with young people but the information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The MOD is committed to the new core principles for the involvement of children and young people published by the Minister for Young People in November 2001. The MOD will shortly be publishing an action plan setting out for the first time how it will implement these principles to extend the participation of children and young people in the design, provision and evaluation of policies and services that affect them.

Ministerial Training

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how much has been spent by his Department on training in leadership skills for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how much has been spent by his Department on training by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years;
	(3)  how much has been spent by his Department on voice coaching for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 26 April 2002
	Training in leadership skills is an extremely important part of development activities in the Ministry of Defence, for both military and civilian staff. Its importance—emphasised within the "Modernising Government" initiative—was reflected in the recent defence training review. As a result the defence leadership centre has been established as part of the new defence academy to provide a nationally recognised centre of excellence. In addition, there are many other areas of the MOD where leadership features in both general management and more specific training. The Defence Procurement Agency, for instance, has provided leadership masterclasses and the important new area of smart acquisition has introduced a specific scheme designed to help develop integrated project team leaders.
	I am not aware of any training undertaken by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts on behalf of Ministers or officials.
	The MOD does provide some training in media interview skills, which includes factors such as voice tone and stance. This training is available to all staff and on occasions has been undertaken by Ministers.
	In addition, Ministers are able to take advantage of the "Programmes for Ministers" organised by the centre for management and policy studies (CMPS) in the Cabinet Office.
	Information on costs for leadership or media training is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Digital Equipment

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many digital radios are owned by his Department for use in departmental buildings from which Ministers work; and what the (a) cost and (b) date of purchase of each radio was.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 26 April 2002
	The information is not held centrally in this format and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, I can confirm that no such equipment has been purchased for use in Ministers' offices.

Press Subscriptions

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  if he will list the newspapers subscribed to (a) Monday to Saturday and (b) on Sunday by his Department, stating for each subscription the (i) number of copies taken and (ii) annual cost;
	(2)  if he will list the magazines and periodicals subscribed to by his Department, stating for each subscription the (a) number of copies taken and (b) annual cost.

Lewis Moonie: holding reply 26 April 2002
	The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Solar Panels

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what buildings owned by his Department have solar panels installed.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence fully supports the Government's commitment to reducing carbon dioxide emissions and promoting the use of renewable energy technologies by utilising "through life value for money" renewable energy supply opportunities. The current MOD policy on the development and siting of different kinds of renewable energy generation plant is to assess options on a case-by-case basis.
	No central register is kept of the locations of solar panels installed in or on buildings on the defence estate. However, recently publicised examples include two active solar thermal systems at RM Norton Manor camp, Taunton, and a new "ambient energy" heat pump system at the Works Services office and stores at Royal Marines Condor, Tayside, Scotland. In addition, the Defence Procurement Agency building at Abbey Wood, Bristol, which has been in service for a number of years, makes use of a passive solar thermal system in order to minimise energy consumption.
	Active solar thermal systems are also extensively used on the overseas estate where these are cost effective.

Territorial Army

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what financial provision has been made for the training of Territorial Army units in the Greater London area in 2002–03; and if he will list each financial provision.

Lewis Moonie: The total financial provision made for the training of Territorial Army units in the Greater London area in 2002–2003 is just over £14 million. To list each provision separately could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

C-17s

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was (a) the estimated purchase price, (b) the overall contract price to lease the aircraft for five years, (c) the number of original target flying hours in the lease contract, (d) the actual target flying hours used to date, (e) the estimated number of target flying hours for the full five years and (f) the estimated additional cost for exceeding the target flying hours for the C-17s of 99 Squadron; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 8 May 2002
	The overall cost of the seven-year lease and all supporting arrangements for the four C-17 aircraft is in the order of £750 million. The detailed lease costs and the underlying aircraft price are commercially sensitive and I am withholding this information under Exemption 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government information.
	The lease contract does not specify either a target number or a limit on flying hours. However, funding for support of the aircraft was modelled on a total of 3,000 flying hours per full year for the fleet of four aircraft. In the first part year of operations the C-17 fleet exceeded the modelled hours by about 60 per cent. The additional support costs arising from this level of flying were in the order of £4 million. There are no additional lease costs associated with increased levels of flying activity. Future support costs will vary in line with the operational demands made of the aircraft over the lease period.

Ministerial Accommodation

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what publicly owned accommodation is made available to him in his official role; how many nights he has been in residence at each of these properties in the last 12 months; and what the total cost was of maintaining each of these properties in the last 12 months.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 9 May 2002
	None.

Service Accommodation

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 22 April 2002, Official Report, column 9W, with reference to paragraph 5.14 of the Armed Forces' Pay Review Body 31st report 2002, what estimate has been made of (a) the number and (b) the cost of repeat repairs in (i) single living accommodation and (ii) service family accommodation in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The Ministry of Defence is making substantial investment in service accommodation. In particular, we are now assessing industry's bids for the single living accommodation modernisation prime contract.

Remote Ammunition Facility, Tamar

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what the estimated date is of completion of the remote ammunition facility in Tamar;
	(2)  what the estimated cost is of construction of the remote ammunition facility in Tamar.

Lewis Moonie: Work undertaken over the last few years has established that the effects a weapons explosion would have on a submarine and its surroundings is not as extensive as previously thought. This led to a revised safety assessment which has shown that the improvements to safety that RAFT would have provided for submarines can be met through the existing berthing facilities at Devonport naval base. The project has therefore been suspended.
	Some £15 million has been spent over the 10-year life of the project. Further costs relating to the cancellation of planned work may be payable and will be subject to negotiations with the contractor.

RAF Landing Fees

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what average landing fees were paid by the RAF in respect of aircraft landing at (a) RAF airfields and (b) airfields operated under licence by third parties during the last complete year.

Lewis Moonie: No landing fees are charged for RAF aircraft landing at RAF airfields. In the financial year 2001–02, £2.08 million was authorised for payment for handling and landing in respect of RAF aircraft landing at commercial airports in the United Kingdom and £2.23 million for those services outside the United Kingdom. These costs exclude payments made direct by aircrew at airfields. Costs include handling, navigation, parking and overshoot charges in addition to landing fees. Information on the cost of landing fees alone and payments made by aircrew is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. In addition, landing fees of £0.345 million were charged for RAF aircraft landing at airfields operated by QinetiQ.

Aircraft Movements (West Freugh)

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many aircraft movements were handled by air traffic control at West Freugh airfield in each of the last 10 years.

Lewis Moonie: The following aircraft movements were handled by air traffic control at West Freugh airfield in each of the last 10 years.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1992 6,397 
			 1993 9,038 
			 1994 6,315 
			 1995 7,140 
			 1996 7,905 
			 1997 11,644 
			 1998 11,847 
			 1999 8,384 
			 2000 5,973 
			 2001 3,861 
		
	
	These figures do not include overflights or range runs.

Royal Ordnance

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of Royal Ordnance.

Lewis Moonie: Royal Ordnance Defence (ROD) is a private company that is wholly owned by BAE Systems. It has been operating against a background of sharp decline in the worldwide demand for defence equipment. The Ministry of Defence is aware that ROD is currently carrying out a manufacturing strategy review to optimise its business such that it will remain viable and competitive in the defence sector. Any decisions that emerge from this review are a commercial matter for the company. ROD has also indicated that it intends to invest substantially in a number of sites across the United Kingdom. The MOD remains confident that ROD will continue to be a major producer of munitions for the United Kingdom armed forces, particularly through the framework partnering agreement that has been established between ROD and the MOD.

BUTEC and Rona Ranges

Charles Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 31W, what his policy is on the inclusion in the arrangements, negotiated with QinetiQ, of guarantees that levels of current provision by the BUTEC and Rona range will be maintained for the full term of the arrangement and that levels of investment will be maintained; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: In its negotiations with QinetiQ, the Ministry of Defence will seek to agree the provisions of levels of service which will meet the MOD's requirements for usage of the BUTEC and Rona ranges. The required level of service will be reviewed periodically throughout the life of the contract.

Armed Forces (Media Interviews)

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what guidance is issued governing the giving of media interviews by serving members of the armed forces; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: Invitations for service personnel to take part in media interviews are usually made by broadcasting and press authorities through official departmental channels. If, however, members of the armed forces are invited directly to take part in radio or television broadcasts, or undertake press interviews, there is guidance in the Queen's Regulations that instructs personnel on how to report the approach, and if the interview is sanctioned, guidance about the handling of the interview and not being drawn on any policy issue which is, or may become, a matter of controversy between political parties.

Army Horses

Alan Meale: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the Army's policy is on the tethering of horses; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: The tethering or 'picketing' of horses is the military method of tying horses to a rope or peg in the open in order to prevent injury. The recommended method is to use a single long rope, stretched along the ground, or preferably suspended 3 to 4 ft high, to which each horse is separately tied with a head rope. Heel ropes tied to pegs may also be used in order to prevent a horse kicking the next horse. Details of the preferred methods to be used are laid out in the "Manual of Horsemanship, Equitation and Animal Transport" (WO Code 7193, 1937) and "Animal Management" (HMSO 1956).

Retirement Ages

Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make an announcement concerning flexible retirement dates for his Department's civilian personnel.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence has completed its review of age retirement policy. The conclusions are being considered and we shall make an announcement about them in the coming weeks.

Wind Farms

Julia Drown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many wind farm proposals his Department has opposed in the last three years; and where those proposals were situated.

Lewis Moonie: Of the 506 proposals received during the last three years, the Ministry of Defence has objected to a total of 238. There have been a greater number of objections within the three tactical training areas (in central Wales, north Scotland and the border region of northern England/southern Scotland), but out of these areas there is no set pattern as to where the objections lie.

Wind Farms

Julia Drown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which areas are unsuitable for the building of wind farms because of the effect on radar and low- flying aircraft.

Lewis Moonie: All wind farm proposals are considered individually by the Ministry of Defence, on a case-by-case basis, which examines their potential effects on our ability to train pilots safely and on operational capabilities.
	In some circumstances wind turbines have the potential adversely to affect radar and other communications depending on their position in relation to particular installations. Research is currently under way with the Department of Trade and Industry to address this issue.
	The presence of wind turbines in most areas of the United Kingdom would present no difficulty to low flying aircraft because these and other naturally tall structures are taken into account as part of route planning.
	The United Kingdom has three specially designated tactical training areas (TTA) that are available for authorised military operational low flying training.
	The three TTAs are located in central Wales, north Scotland and the border region of northern England/ southern Scotland. Within these areas military fast jets may operate down to a height of 100 ft separation distance and a proliferation of obstacles could negate the value of the training. Units also make use of these areas for specialised night training. In these areas wind farm developments may compromise flight safety to an unacceptable level.

Sea Harriers

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Sea Harriers have been equipped with JTIDS; and at what cost.

Lewis Moonie: JTIDS has been fitted to three Sea Harrier aircraft. Two of these are development aircraft operated by BAE Systems. The costs are currently the subject of negotiation with contractors and I am therefore withholding this information in accordance with Exemption 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Bowman System

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when operational field trials of the Bowman system will commence.

Lewis Moonie: Operational field trials of the Bowman system are due to begin in November 2003 at battalion level. The battalion and additional elements of the first brigade to be converted will then conduct a further operational field trial in March 2004, which will determine whether the Bowman system can be accepted into service. A final field trial, at brigade level, is planned for August/September 2004.

Airborne Stand-off Radar

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress on the ASTOR programme; and when each of the five aircraft will be delivered to the RAF.

Lewis Moonie: The ASTOR programme is currently on course to meet its planned in-service date of September 2005. The first global express aircraft, which will be the platform for the airborne element of the ASTOR system, is now with the aircraft systems integrator. Following systems integration, aircraft deliveries to the RAF are scheduled to take place in 2004, 2005, 2006 (two aircraft) and 2007.

QinetiQ

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many bids have been received for the sale of an equity share in QinetiQ; and what proportion of the equity is proposed for sale.

Lewis Moonie: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 14W, to the hon. Member for Salisbury (Mr. Key). Initial bids for the sale of an equity share in QinetiQ are due to be received on 20 May.

QinetiQ

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whom he has appointed as non-executive chair of QinetiQ; and what other interests the person has.

Lewis Moonie: As announced on 8 May in a QinetiQ press release about Sir John Egan's decision to step down, Dame Pauline Neville-Jones has been appointed as the chairman of QinetiQ, having previously been the senior non-Executive Director. Dame Pauline has worked extensively in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and has been chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee. She is currently a BBC governor, with special responsibility for the World Service, and chairman of the Information Assurance Advisory Council. She also is a member of the Council of City University and hon. treasurer of the charity Refuge. The change of chairman will not affect the transaction timetable, which remains on track.

QinetiQ

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the bids for an equity share in QinetiQ will be judged against (a) commercial, (b) industrial and (c) strategic considerations; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: Yes. As with all competitive bidding processes, the Ministry of Defence seeks to take into account all relevant factors, including commercial, industrial and strategic, when assessing competitive bids to ensure that the MOD meets its objectives and obtains the best value for money.

Pregnant Service Personnel

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the (a) Army, (b) Royal Navy and (c) RAF are pregnant; what rules and regulations govern the treatment and deployments of pregnant service personnel; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: As at 1 May, 354 members of the Army, 93 of the Royal Navy and 223 of the Royal Air Force had notified pregnancy or were on maternity leave. The rules governing maternity arrangements for servicewomen in the regular Armed Forces are contained within Defence Council Instructions and other service publications. Upon notification of pregnancy, restrictions may be placed upon a servicewoman's employment to ensure that the services can fulfil their legal obligations and responsibilities for her health and safety and that of her unborn child and to preserve operational effectiveness. For example, aircrew will not be permitted to continue their flying duties once pregnancy is confirmed, servicewomen on operations will be withdrawn, and women serving in ships will be landed at the earliest convenient opportunity.

Army Landrovers

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who manufactures the engines for the 200 series Army Landrovers; and where they are based.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 13 May 2002
	The 200 Series Landrover is not a recognised variant of the military fleet. However, all military Landrover engines are manufactured by Landrover at their manufacturing facility in Solihull. Landrover also has a military sales/service facility at Warwick.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Fraud

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the estimated level of losses to fraud and corruption was in (a) her Department's Vote 1 budget and (b) her Department's Vote 2 budget for (i) 1999–2000 and (ii) 2000–01.

Estelle Morris: An estimate of the cost to my Department of cases involving fraud and corruption for the years in question is as follows:
	
		£000 
		
			  Vote 1 Vote 2 
		
		
			 1999–2000 4,548 52 
			 2000–01 17,327 386 
			  
			 Total 21,875 438 
		
	
	The Vote 1 figure for 2000–01 includes one specific direct contractor fraud valued at £7.9 million. The figures represent 0.07 per cent. of the total Vote 1 spend and 0.006 per cent. of the total Vote 2 spend over the two years.

Education Act

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 7 May 2002, ref 53890, how many prosecutions have taken place for offences under the Education Act 1996 in each year since 1997; and what those offences were.

Ivan Lewis: Under the Education Act 1996 the following are guilty of an offence and liable for prosecution:
	(1) The parent of a child who has been "cleansed" under s522 but is again "infested" or in "a foul condition" is guilty of an offence (section 525);
	(2) A parent or the employer of a child, who is a registered pupil, where that child is employed in contravention of a notice issued by the LEA either prohibiting his employment or imposing restrictions upon his employment (section 559);
	(3) The parent of a registered pupil at a school who fails to attend regularly (section 444);
	(4) Any person who is on school property without lawful authority and while there causes a disturbance or nuisance (section 457);
	(5) A parent who fails to comply with the requirement of a notice to have a child medically examined (section 506);
	(6) A parent who fails to comply with a notice requiring a child's attendance at an exam (paragraph 5(1) Schedule 26).
	Information on prosecutions provided by the Home Office for the years 1997 to 2000 is as follows:
	
		Number of defendants proceeded against at the magistrates courts, found guilty and sentenced at all courts under the Education Act 1996 -- England and Wales 1997–2000(1),(2)
		
			 Offence description Statute Year Proceeded against Found guilty 
		
		
			 Permitting child to be in verminous condition Education Act 1996 sec. 525 1997 — — 
			  (Consolidated Act 1994–96) 1998 — — 
			   1999 — — 
			   (1)2000 1 1 
			 Employment of children or young persons Education Act 1996 1997 1 1 
			  (Consolidated Act 1994–96) 1998 3 3 
			   1999 1 1 
			   (1)2000 4 2 
			 Other offences under Education Act 1996 Education Act 1996 1997 4,204 3,623 
			 (that cannot be separately classified) (Consolidated Act 1994–96) 1998 5,601 4,872 
			   1999 5,610 4,852 
			   (1)2000 5,668 4,773 
		
	
	(1) Staffordshire police force were only able to submit sample data for persons proceeded against and convicted in the magistrates courts for the year 2000. Although sufficient to estimate higher orders of data these data are not robust enough at a detailed level and have been excluded from this table.
	(2) These data are on a principal offence basis.
	Source:
	Crime and Criminal Justice Unit, Home Office

Standard Assessment Test

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment has been made of the impact on SAT results of greater inclusion in mainstream schools.

Ivan Lewis: My Department has not made any formal assessment of the impact on the key stage tests of greater inclusion in mainstream schools.

Further Education Funding

David Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to increase the funding of further education colleges in England over the next five years.

John Healey: Funding from 2003–04 to 2005–06 is the subject of the current spending review in which we will be considering the resources available to deliver the Government's ambitions for further education in 2003–04 and beyond. The Government are making a massive investment in further education. By next year funding for FE will have risen by 26 per cent. in real terms since 1997 on current plans.

Funding Awards

David Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what efficiency gains have been factored into funding awards proposed for (a) further education colleges, (b) sixth-form colleges and (c) schools with a sixth form in England in each of the next five years.

John Healey: We are examining spending plans from 2003–04 until 2005–06 as part of the current spending review. We must await the outcome of this review before committing funds to specific areas of education.

Applied Science and Technology

David Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many vacancies for academic staff teaching applied science and technology subjects at (a) further education colleges, (b) sixth-form colleges and (c) sixth-forms in schools there were in England broken down by region, at the beginning of each academic year since 1997.

John Healey: The Department does not collect the specific information requested.

Applied Science and Technology

David Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the median salary for the academic staff teaching applied science and technology subjects was in England, broken down by region at (a) further education colleges, (b) sixth-form colleges and (c) schools with a sixth form in each year since 1997.

John Healey: The Department does not collect this information. Further education sector colleges are run by independent corporations established under the Further Education and Higher Education Act 1992. There is no nationally agreed pay scale in the general FE sector. Colleges determine their own staff pay policies and salaries will, therefore, vary from college to college. Salary information is not available for teachers in school sixth forms.

Prison Education

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what capital investment her Department is making in prisoners' education; and if she will make a statement.

John Healey: I am pleased to tell my hon. Friend that £20 million capital modernisation funding will be provided over the next two years to develop and modernise prison education and training through the "Learning to Earning" project. Finding prisoners suitable employment plays a key role in helping them resettle into society. This project will improve dramatically opportunities for prisoners to acquire skills and knowledge that will equip them for jobs on release, and so reduce the likelihood of re-offending.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Throckmorton Carcase Disposal Site

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will respond to the requests made by the hon. Member for Mid-Worcestershire for a meeting to discuss compensation for the residents adjacent to the Throckmorton carcase disposal site.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 17 July 2001
	I regret that this reply has been delayed pending consideration of meetings between officials and residents. I am aware of the interest of the hon. Member in this issue, and will be writing to him shortly.

Correspondence

Harry Barnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the hon. Member for North-East Derbyshire will receive a reply to his letter of 12 November, as acknowledged on 16 November, reference 162094.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 22 January 2002
	I am sorry for the delay in replying to the hon. Member's letter. A reply was sent on 13 May 2002 under reference 168207.

Technetium-99

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the costs of (a) introducing technetium-99 abatement technology and (b) storage facilities in order to reduce Sellafield's discharges to 10 terabecquerels per year; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 11 March 2002
	My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Health and for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have not carried out any separate cost assessment of their own. They have before them the cost assessment carried out by the Environment Agency, as set out in the agency's proposed decision published in September 2001. The agency's document sets out in some detail considerations of costs for the various technetium-99 abatement techniques that have been considered, and for a range of schemes to partially or fully replace the B211 facility where medium active concentrate (MAC), containing technetium-99, is stored. Costs are given both as undiscounted costs and present value costs, and they are further broken down into capital, operating and decommissioning costs. Where appropriate, the costs of combining abatement techniques with each other and with new storage facilities are also considered.
	The undiscounted cost of introducing so-called "TPP abatement" would be in the order of £3 million, whereas "MAC Diversion" costs would be in the range £14–90 million. The so-called "end of pipe" abatement techniques that have been identified by BNFL are estimated to cost in the range of £76–256 million. Replacement of the B211 storage facility to include replacement of the current MAC storage capacity would cost in the order of £450 million. BNFL are also assessing options for refurbishing the B211 facility, which would be notably cheaper.

Stolen Equipment

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 23 January 2002, Official Report, columns 926–27W, on stolen equipment, what criminal proceedings have been undertaken for cases of theft against her Department, stating in each case (a) whether the proceedings (i) led to a criminal conviction and (ii) were unsuccessful, (b) the cost incurred by her Department in pursuing a conviction and (c) the value of items recovered; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: Only one person has been prosecuted for stealing equipment from the Department since May 1997. He pleaded guilty at Horseferry Road magistrates court on 4 March 2002 to 10 offences of theft of departmental property. He received 80 hours community punishment concurrent on each offence and was ordered to pay £442.48 compensation. The prosecution's claim for investigative and prosecution costs of £500 was not granted by the sentencing court. No stolen items were recovered.

Ambient Noise Strategy

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the targets are for her Department's ambient noise strategy.

Michael Meacher: The proposal to develop a national ambient noise strategy was announced in the Rural White Paper in November 2000. The consultation on the development of such a strategy—"Towards a National Ambient Noise Strategy"—closed on the 15 March this year and the results of the consultation are currently being considered and may result in changes to our approach. However, currently it would only be at a later stage that the introduction of targets (if any) would be considered.

Staff Pay

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost in 2001–02 was of the pay increase to staff in her Department, agencies and the non-departmental public bodies for which she is responsible; and what the cost of the forthcoming increase will be in 2002–03.

Elliot Morley: The latest estimate of the pay increases for 2001–02 for the department and its agencies is as follows:
	
		
			   £000 
		
		
			 Core DEFRA 17,699 
			 Veterinary Medicines Directorate 542 
			 Pesticides Safety Directorate 703 
			 Rural Payments Agency 3,738 
			 Central Science Laboratory (CSL) 700 
			 Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) 620 
			 Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) 1,693 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. These figures include earnings related national insurance contribution and superannuation liability.
	2. Under the terms of their respective framework agreements, the chief executives of three of DEFRA's executive agencies (CSL, VLA, CEFAS) have delegated responsibility for pay arrangements for staff below senior civil service level.
	The pay increase for 2002–03 has not been agreed yet and no estimate can be provided.
	The information for non-departmental public bodies is not available. It will be published in their annual reports and accounts in due course. These are laid before Parliament each year and copies deposited in the Library of the House.

Parliamentary Questions

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the written questions asked of her between (a) 1 to 30 June 2001, (b) 1 to 31 July 2001, (c) 1 to 30 September 2001, (d) 1 to 31 October 2001, (e) 1 to 30 November 2001, (f) 1 to 31 December 2001, (g) 1 to 31 January 2002, (h) 1 to 28 February 2002, (i) 1 to 31 March 2002 and (j) 1 to 30 April 2002 that had not received a substantive answer by 30 April; and if she will state (i) the name of the hon. Member asking the question and (ii) the reasons the question had not received a substantive answer.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 2 May 2002
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the President of the Council on 2 May 2002, Official Report, column 949W.
	4,372 (97 per cent.) of the 4,500 written questions tabled up to 30 April this Session, have received a substantive reply. 40 questions (1 per cent.) tabled in April have not been answered, and are not overdue. However, the remaining 88 questions (2 per cent.) have yet to receive a substantive reply, and we are actively seeking to provide Members with replies to these shortly.

Public Liability Cover

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received about the cessation of public liability cover for local community groups; if she will provide a grant to BTCV to cover its public liability costs; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: Further to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's reply of 30 April 2002, Official Report, column 662W, I have replied to Tom Flood, chief executive of the BTCV, expressing my concern about the difficulty in obtaining public liability insurance for BTCV's associated local community groups. I have also discussed the issue with the chief executive of the National Council of Voluntary Organisations, who has offered to discuss with BTCV what might be done.
	I understand that there is a general issue about the availability and cost of public liability insurance cover for voluntary organisations which goes beyond DEFRA's remit. However I have told BTCV and NCVO that I would be very willing to work with colleagues in so far as there are issues for DEFRA. To assist with this process I have raised the issue with ministerial colleagues. I have also suggested that a meeting with representatives of the insurance industry might be helpful.

Air Pollution

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures have been introduced since 1997 to reduce the amount of poisonous fumes people breathe in, with specific reference to those in urban areas.

Michael Meacher: The Government's policies on improving air quality are set out in detail in "Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland", published in January 2000. The strategy explains the measures that are in place to reduce emissions of harmful pollutants from all sectors, including road transport and industry. Copies are available via the DEFRA website at www.defra.gov.uk/environment/ airquality.
	Air quality in urban areas has improved significantly over the last decade, as a result largely of the progressively tighter European Union standards for new vehicles and fuels, and of the continuing reduction in total emissions from industry. The air quality headline indicator, published annually, shows that the average number of days of moderate or poor air quality in urban areas of the UK has reduced from 59 days in 1993 to 21 days in 2001.

Marine Environment

Sydney Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of how the production of an integrated assessment of the state of the seas, as proposed in the Government's first marine stewardship report, will contribute to the conservation of the marine environment.

Michael Meacher: An integrated assessment of the state of our seas will enable us to gain a better overview of the competing pressures on the marine environment and the full range of impacts. This will help us target our actions to achieve improved conservation and sustainable development. The assessment will also provide a yardstick against which we can measure our progress. The report will be available in 2004.

Marine Environment

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps have been taken in the Government's marine stewardship reports to balance social, economic and environmental interests in the marine environment; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: The first marine stewardship report reflects the principles of sustainable development, integrated management, the conservation of biological diversity, robust science, the precautionary principle and stakeholder involvement. We have adopted an ecosystem- based approach to integrate better marine protection objectives with sustainable social and economic goals.

Pesticides

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent guidelines have been introduced to monitor pesticides on vegetables and fruit.

Elliot Morley: The Government conduct an annual pesticide residues surveillance programme for fruit and vegetables and other produce. This programme is overseen by the independent Pesticide Residues Committee (PRC). The PRC advises Ministers and the chief executives of the Food Standards Agency and the Pesticides Safety Directorate on pesticide residues in foods.
	Typically around 4,000 food samples are tested each year for a range of pesticide residues at a cost of £2.2 million. The objectives of the programme are threefold:
	To back up the statutory approvals process for pesticides by checking that no unexpected residues are occurring;
	To check that residues do not exceed statutory maximum residue levels (MRLs);
	To check that human dietary intakes of residues are within acceptable levels.
	Most samples tested currently are collected from retail outlets. Sampling is biased towards samples that are more likely to contain residues.
	The scope of each year's programme and details of the samples analysed under the surveillance programme can be found on the PRC's website. The 2002 programme is on the website at www.pesticides.gov.uk/committees/ PRC/prc.htm. The 2003 programme is currently being developed by the Committee.
	The Department of Health also undertakes a similar monitoring programme for produce distributed to children under the national school fruit scheme. Details of the results from testing will shortly appear on the PRC's website.

Pesticides

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the amount of pesticide sprayed in each of the last five years on UK fields.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 14 May 2002
	DEFRA surveys indicate that the following quantities of agricultural pesticides were used in each year since 1996. The corresponding figure for 2001 is not yet available.
	
		
			   Tonnes of active ingredient 
		
		
			 1996 34,115 
			 1997 34,021 
			 1998 33,680 
			 1999 33,826 
			 2000 30,930

Countryside Stewardship Scheme

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of farms taking part in the countryside stewardship scheme staff from the (a) Rural Payments Agency and (b) Rural Development Service visit after the first year of taking part in the scheme; and how regularly individual farms have been visited by the agency.

Elliot Morley: Staff from the Rural Payments Agency carry out compliance monitoring inspections of countryside stewardship scheme agreements in accordance with EU and our own audit requirements. EU rules require at least 5 per cent. of agreements to be inspected each year. The agreements to be visited are selected using risk-based criteria, which are not specifically related to the year of the agreement.
	The programme of care and maintenance visits operated by technical staff from DEFRA's Rural Development Service currently aims to cover around 20 per cent. of agreements each year, including the visits scheduled for the first year of an agreement. More frequent visits may take place as circumstances require.

Forestry

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on Forest Enterprise procurement procedures for forestry harvesting and transport equipment.

Elliot Morley: Forest Enterprise procurement procedures for forestry harvesting and transport equipment follow HM Treasury guidelines and EU regulations and directives.

Forestry

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the value is of contracts awarded by Forest Enterprise to Mechanical Engineering Services in each of the last three years.

Elliot Morley: Mechanical Engineering Services is part of the Forestry Commission's Forest Enterprise Agency. It is responsible for supplying and maintaining the agency's fleet of machinery and vehicles. There is, therefore, no requirement for a contractual relationship. However, the value of this service to Forest Enterprise for the last three years has been £15.7 million (2001–02), £15.6 million (2000–01) and £15.7 million (1999–2000).

Forestry

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what procedures are in place for ensuring fair competition for contracts issued by Forest Enterprise.

Elliot Morley: Forest Enterprise follows HM Treasury guidelines and EU regulations and directives when letting contracts.

Forestry

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what procedures are in place in Forest Enterprise for ensuring best value in (a) procuring and (b) disposing of forestry capital equipment contracts.

Elliot Morley: Forest Enterprise follows HM Treasury guidelines which are designed to ensure best value for use of public funds. The procurement of forestry capital equipment is subject to European Union procurement directives, and Forest Enterprise requirements are therefore advertised in the Official Journal of the European Communities. Disposal of forestry capital equipment is carried out by open tender and public auction.

Forestry

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many vehicles operated by Forest Enterprise are (a) cars and vans and (b) other forestry vehicles; and how many are obliged to have a valid current tax disc.

Elliot Morley: Forest Enterprise currently operates 1,718 cars and vans and 320 other forestry vehicles. Most of these vehicles (1,852) are used exclusively in the service of the Crown and hence are exempt from vehicle excise duty under section 183 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. The remainder (186 cars) are subject to vehicle excise duty due to an element of private use for which each user makes a payment.

Dairy Farmers

Tom Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to call upon further agrimonetary compensation to compensate dairy farmers for a fall in milk prices.

Elliot Morley: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Gedling (Vernon Coaker) on 2 May 2002.

Director-General, Fisheries

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the removal from role of the Director- General, Fisheries.

Elliot Morley: The European Commission is responsible for senior staffing within the Commission services. The Commission announced changes affecting 13 senior staff on 24 April. The post of Director-General of Fisheries Policy is being advertised within the Commission. The present director-general remains in post pending the new appointment.

Deer

Robert Walter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proposals she has to amend Schedule 2 of the Deer Act 1991 to permit the use of a rifle of a calibre less than .240 inches for the safe and humane killing of static injured deer.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 14 May 2002
	We have no current proposals to amend the Deer Act 1991.

Packaging Waste

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the United Kingdom's performance was in 2001 against the recovery and recycling targets in the EC directive on packaging and packaging waste; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: The UK narrowly failed to meet the overall packaging waste recovery target in 2001 but met the overall recycling target and the material-specific recycling targets for all materials
	The recovery and recycling of packaging waste carried out in 2001 is as shown in the table.
	
		Recovery and recycling carried out in 2001 (UK)
		
			  UK re-processing (1) Exported for re-processing (2) Re-processing for which no PRN/PERN issued (incl. in (1)) (3) PRN/PERN carried forward to 2002 (4) Tonnes accepted for recovery and recycling, UK (5) 
		
		
			 Paper 1,851,505 179,439 25,895 83,064 2,030,944 
			 Glass 696,578 39,016 17,036 29,273 735,594 
			 Aluminium 25,869 3,161 1 821 29,030 
			 Steel 141,343 136,736 3,051 8,365 278,079 
			 Plastic 203,149 66,813 6,077 10,506 269,962 
			 Wood 573,951 — 4,985 23,742 573,951 
			 Alt. evidence 30,741 — — — 30,741 
			 Total recycling 3,523,136 425,165 57,045 155,771 3,948,301 
			 Efw 513,939 — 913 24,986 513,939 
			 Total 4,037,075 425,165 57,958 180,757 4,462,240 
		
	
	Article 6(1) of the EC directive on packaging and packaging waste 94/62/EC set the following targets:
	Between 50 per cent. and 65 per cent. recovery
	Between 25 per cent. 45 per cent. recycling
	15 per cent. recycling of each material.
	The UK performance against the targets is shown in the table.
	
		UK performance against 2001 directive targets -- Percentage
		
			 Material Target Performance 
		
		
			 Paper 15 53 
			 Glass 15 33 
			 Aluminium 15 (3)24 
			 Steel 15 (3)37 
			 Plastic 15 16 
			 Wood 15 57 
			 Total recovery 50 to 65 47.9 
			 Total recycling 25 to 45 42 
		
	
	(3) Metals 35 per cent.
	The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997 (as amended) and parallel legislation in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland implement these targets in the UK. The regulations place recovery and recycling obligations on producers to enable the UK to attain the directive recovery and recycling targets. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the Environment Agency have reported that one compliance scheme and a number of individually registered businesses failed to meet their tonnage recovery obligations under the packaging regulations—a total shortfall of 263,832 tonnes against a combined total obligation of 823,003 tonnes.

New Forest Official Verderer

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the appointment of the Official Verderer for the New Forest.

Elliot Morley: We expect Her Majesty the Queen to make this appointment very soon.

Fishing Industry

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress she has made in negotiating a derogation for the UK inshore fishing fleet, comparable to the Norwegian derogation, from this year's increase in fixed mesh sizes.

Elliot Morley: The Commission has asked Norway to confirm that it has exempted its inshore fleet from the increase in fixed fishing gear mesh sizes but has not yet received a response. We will continue to press the Commission for a similar derogation.

Foot and Mouth

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will calculate the number of ewes with lambs at foot slaughtered under (a) disease control restrictions and (b) the livestock welfare disposal scheme during the 2001 outbreak of foot and mouth disease.

Elliot Morley: It is not possible to calculate the number of ewes with lambs at foot slaughtered either for disease control purposes or under the livestock welfare disposal scheme because lambs at foot have not been recorded separately. For the purposes of disease control it is only necessary to record animals by species ie cattle, sheep, pigs goats, deer and other. Lambs at foot have therefore simply been included in the sheep category.
	We are aware that to date not all the lambs at foot, slaughtered for disease control purposes, have been included in the figures on DEFRA's disease control system database (DCS). In the early stages of the outbreak, in line with normal husbandry practice, a number of ewes with lambs at foot were recorded as one unit (ie one animal). It was quickly recognised that each animal should be separately recorded and, as staff resources became available, an exercise to amend the DCS began.
	This exercise is now well under way and many of the lambs at foot are already reflected in the total slaughter figure of around 4 million for disease control purposes. Information describing this exercise has been on the DEFRA website for some time, where it is also noted that the data on the DCS are being validated and may result in figures being revised.
	Slaughtering under the livestock welfare disposal scheme took place at abattoirs and it was consequently more likely that lambs at foot were recorded in the slaughter figures. These figures are therefore very unlikely to change.

Foot and Mouth

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will reply to the letter of 11 June 2001 from Mrs. M. Edmunds of Low Lorton, Cumbria concerning foot and mouth disease.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 14 March 2002
	I am sorry that my hon. Friend has not received a reply to his letter, but we are unable to trace it.
	I appreciate that my hon. Friend's constituent will be disappointed at not receiving a reply, and suggest, if a reply is still needed, that my hon. Friend sends us another copy of her letter so that we can provide an answer.

Home Energy Efficiency Scheme

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many heating installations undertaken by (a) TXU Warm Front Ltd. and (b) Eaga Partnership were completed in each of the last four quarters for which information is available; what proportion were found to be (i) unsafe and (ii) requiring remedial work; and what was the (A) average and (B) longest wait for remedial work to be completed.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 18 March 2002
	The number of electric and gas heating installations carried out for each quarter of 2001 were:
	
		
			 Quarter TXU Eaga Total 
		
		
			 1 2,715 8,112 10,827 
			 2 5,131 12,574 17,705 
			 3 5,287 11,513 16,800 
			 4 5,907 15,567 21,474 
		
	
	
		The number and percentage of inspected installations found to be unsafe and those requiring remedial work during each quarter in that period
		
			  Number  Of which   Remedial work required  
			 Quarter inspected unsafe Number Percentage 
		
		
			 TXU 
			 1 384 1 92 24 
			 2 950 1 128 13 
			 3 1,696 7 180 11 
			 4 1,379 5 136 10 
			  
			 Eaga 
			 1 4,158 1 544 13 
			 2 4,260 1 513 12 
			 3 7,152 4 1,023 14 
			 4 9,927 2 1,238 13 
		
	
	All gas fired central heating installations are subject to inspection after installation. A percentage of other installations are also subject to inspection.
	Those jobs identified as requiring remedial work were deemed to have failed on inspection.
	Information on waiting times for remedial works to be carried out is not available in this format.

Chinese Honey

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if (a) chloramphenicol and (b) streptomycin have been found in Chinese honey imported by the UK.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	Following regulatory action by the European Commission on products of animal origin from China, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) immediately began testing some products of animal origin already in the United Kingdom and as a result called for the withdrawal of jars of Chinese and blended honey on sale in the UK to ensure consumers are protected.
	Both streptomycin and chloramphenicol (antibiotics) were found in samples of Chinese and blended honey. The FSA published the results of this analysis in two press releases: 'Tests on Chinese and blended honey show traces of illegal residue of veterinary drug', which was issued on 6 February 2002, and 'Tests on Chinese and blended honey show further illegal drug residue' which was issued on 19 February 2002. Illegal residues of chloramphenicol were also found in samples of another bee product, royal jelly, at similar levels as those found in honey. The FSA again called for the withdrawal of Chinese and other royal jelly products which did not meet legal requirements. The main known risk from chloramphenicol relates to aplastic anaemia, a rare but serious blood disorder in susceptible individuals. The FSA, on the advice of expert toxicologists, has concluded that overall the levels of this antibiotic in honey pose an extremely small risk to public health. The streptomycin found was not considered to be of toxicological concern.
	The FSA's advice to the consumer is that, given the extremely small risk, people can continue to eat any honey they have already bought, irrespective of country of origin. This advice also applies to other foods that contain honey, where the risk is even lower. Given the low risk, consumers were not advised against the consumption of royal jelly.
	Full details have been published on the FSA website, www.food.gov.uk.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Packaging Waste

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what basis the targets under the packaging waste directive were established for (a) plastics, (b) aluminium, (c) steel, (d) glass and (e) paper.

Brian Wilson: holding answer 7 May 2002
	As part of the current proposed revision of Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste, the Commission has proposed differentiated material specific targets to be met in 2006. These were largely based on work carried out by the environmental consultants RDC/Pira, which looked at the costs and benefits of recycling each material in order to obtain optimum recycling ranges.
	The draft proposal and RDC/Pira report are available on the Commission's website.

Export Credit Guarantees Department

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to which companies the Export Credit Guarantees Department has paid moneys as part of its credit guarantees to that company in each of the last five years; in each case, (a) how much was paid, (b) what the project was against which the guarantee had been made and (c) which country had defaulted on its contractual arrangements; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 8 May 2002
	This question cannot be answered except at disproportionate cost. However, for each of the financial years 1997–98 to 2000–01 I have provided a list of the companies that ECGD paid claims to. I have also provided a list of the host countries of the defaulting buyers in each of these years and for these countries, the total claims paid in each industrial sector. I have placed a copy of the list in the Libraries of the House.
	Figures for 2001–02 have not been provided as these have not yet been audited.

Career Packages (R and D)

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to improve the career packages offered to scientists and engineers working in research and development; and if she will make a statement on the recommendations in Sir Gareth Roberts' review, "SET for success", concerning the tackling of recruitment and retention problems.

Patricia Hewitt: The career packages offered to scientists and engineers working in research and development are a matter for the employer. The Roberts' review's report "SET for success" identified a clear need for employers to improve the attractiveness of careers in R and D in order to compete effectively for talented staff.
	In 1997 the Research Careers Initiative (RCI) was established to focus on the policy dimension of improving the career management and development of research careers in the UK. The RCI identifies, encourages and disseminates good practice in the career management and development of contract research staff.
	More recently, Sir Gareth Roberts recommended that higher education institutions, as employers of scientists and engineers, should ensure that postdoctoral researchers have clear career development plans and access to training, and that researchers and academics should be better paid. He further recommended that R and D businesses should also offer improved career packages to attract the best science and engineering graduates and postgraduates that the UK has to offer.
	"SET for success" recommended that businesses must review their recruitment mechanisms, the salaries offered to researchers, their career structure (including levels of responsibility and opportunities to progress), and the training and continued professional development opportunities that they make available. Sir Gareth also recommended that a group of R and D employers should monitor employers' progress in rising to these challenges.
	The Government are formulating a response to the Roberts review, in tandem with the current spending review, and a statement on how the Government will be taking forward the recommendations will be made in due course.
	"SET for success" is available electronically at www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/Roberts.

Council of Ministers (UK Delegation)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether a Scottish Executive Minister will be a member of the UK delegation to the forthcoming Internal Market, Consumer Affairs and Tourism European Union Council of Ministers meeting on 21 May and what information is being provided by her Department to guarantee effective pre-Council scrutiny by the European Committee of the Scottish Parliament.

Melanie Johnson: I shall represent the UK at the Internal Market, Consumer Affairs and Tourism Council on 21 May. Pre-Council scrutiny by the European Committee of the Scottish Parliament is a matter for that Parliament and for the Scottish Executive. Council agendas are sent to Scottish Executive officials as are the letters circulated by my officials setting out the prospects for each council meeting. They stand ready to provide other information in line with the provisions of the concordat.

Productivity

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what targets her Department uses to measure productivity in the UK (a) for year on year growth, (b) in comparison with other EU countries and (c) in comparison with other G7 countries.

Patricia Hewitt: The joint DTI/HM Treasury PSA target is to improve UK competitiveness by narrowing the productivity gap with the US, France, Germany and Japan over the economic cycle. The method for measuring this target is set out in 'Public Service Agreement 2001–04 Technical Notes', which is available from DTI's website http://www.dti.gov.uk/about/spendingreview/ psatechnicalnotes.htm.

Budget

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations she has received from businesses regarding the 2002 Budget statement; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: As with all other Budgets, I have received a number of representations, for which I am grateful, from businesses and their representative bodies since the 2002 Budget statement.
	Many welcomed the Budget announcements on enterprise, including cuts in corporation tax and capital gains tax, the proposed new training tax credit and the R and D tax credit for large companies, which complements the tax credit already available for smaller companies. I am also aware of business concerns about the Government's decision on employers' national insurance contributions. But there is widespread recognition in the country of the need for more investment—and reform—in our system of healthcare.

Rail Freight (Channel Tunnel)

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will support the complaint made by EWS to the European Commission relating to France and the treaty of Rome free movement of goods provisions in relation to the movement of rail freight through the channel tunnel.

Melanie Johnson: The Commission has already invoked the Free Movement of Goods Regulation in this case. We remain in close contact with the Commission and France about the action that is required by the French authorities to enable normal rail freight services through the channel tunnel to resume. Representations to the Commission from affected businesses will help underline the need for this action.

UK Competitiveness

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations she has received from businesses regarding the competitiveness of the UK in comparison to (a) EU countries and (b) G7 nations.

Patricia Hewitt: Benchmarking the UK's performance against the world's leading economies including other EU and G7 nations is frequently part of the discussions my Department has in its work with consumers, employees and business to drive up productivity and competitiveness.

Franchises

Harry Barnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what EU block exemption is available for franchises between 1990 and 2000; and whether this block exemption contains definitions for franchise, franchisee agreement and master franchise agreement; and if she will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: Until 31 May 2000, Commission Regulation 4087–88 provided the block exemption for franchising. This regulation contained definitions of franchise and master franchise agreement. With effect from 1 June 2000 (subject to transitional arrangements), Regulation 4087–88 was replaced by Commission Regulation 2790–99, which covers all types of vertical agreements, including franchising. Regulation 2790–99 contains no definitions of franchise, franchisee agreement or master franchise agreement, but the accompanying administrative guidelines (ref: 99/C 270–42, published in the Official Journal of the European Communities No. C270 of 24 September 1999) on the regulation contain a definition of franchise agreements.

Wind Farms

Julia Drown: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many wind farm proposals her Department has opposed on the basis of advice from the Ministry of Defence in the last five years; and where those proposals were situated.

Brian Wilson: Consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 to construct a 80 MW wind farm at Kielder in Northumberland was refused after an objection by the Ministry of Defence. Wind farms with a capacity of 50 MW or less are considered by the relevant planning authority under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

Electricity Supply Industry

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with representatives of consumers about future legislation relating to the electricity supply industry.

Brian Wilson: holding answer 14 May 2002
	Following the passage of the Utilities Act 2000, the Government have no plans for primary legislation relating to the electricity supply industry. Secondary legislation relating to such supply is introduced as appropriate, both by DTI and the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority. Proposals for such legislation are subject to consultation with interested parties, including consumers' representatives.

Sick Leave

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many days of sick leave were taken in her Department last year; how many related to employees suffering (a) stress and (b) other mental health problems; and what the cost was to her Department.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 14 May 2002
	The average number of staff days lost per staff year through sickness absence in the DTI Group in 2000 (the most recent figure available) was 7.5. The figure is taken from the annual report on public sector sick absence commissioned by the Cabinet Office each year. The DTI Group, in addition to DTI HQ, consists of: ACAS, Companies House, Patent Office, Insolvency Service, National Weights and Measures Laboratory, Employment Tribunals Service, and the Radiocommunications Agency.
	In answer to the second part of the question, both parts (a) and (b), the information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	The DTI is committed to meeting targets for reducing the number of working days lost due to sickness absence generally (as contained in our published service delivery agreements), and has a commitment to reducing working days lost due to work-related injuries and illness arising from the Government's revitalising health and safety initiative.

East of England Development Agency

Peter Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the composition is of the board of the East of England Development Agency; and on what basis each member was appointed.

Alan Johnson: The following members make up the board of the East of England Development Agency (EEDA):
	Vincent Watts (Chair)
	Alan Cherry
	Greg Grant
	Peter Martin
	Richard Powell
	Neville Reyner
	Marie Skinner
	Ruth Bagnall
	Sal Brinton
	Marco Cereste
	Leo Murray
	Chris Paveley
	Yasmin Shariff
	Roger Ali.
	The board is currently carrying a vacancy.
	Appointments to the boards of all the RDAs are made in accordance with the Code of Practice set out by the Office for the Commissioner for Public Appointments. This means they are made on merit, following fair and open competition.
	The RDA boards are business-led and the aim is that at least half of all the board members should have current or recent business experience. Four board members have local authority backgrounds and the rest of the board is made up of people with experience in some area relevant to the work of the RDA. In effect this means trade unions, further and higher education and the voluntary and community sectors.

East of England Development Agency

Peter Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the powers are of the East of England Development Agency.

Alan Johnson: The East of England Development Agency (EEDA) is one of the eight regional development agencies in England outside London established by the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998. Each regional development agency (RDA) has five statutory purposes. They are:
	to further the economic development and the regeneration of its area
	to promote business efficiency, investment and competitiveness in its area
	to promote employment in its area
	to enhance the development and application of skills relevant to employment in its area
	to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom where it is relevant to its area to do so.
	Section 5 of the RDA Act empowers the RDAs to do anything they consider expedient for their purposes, or for purposes incidental thereto, subject to the following provision:
	An RDA may only
	(a) give financial assistance,
	(b) dispose of land for less than the best consideration which can reasonably be obtained, or
	(c) form, or acquire an interest in, a body corporate,
	if the Secretary of State consents; and an RDA may only provide housing by acquiring existing housing accommodation and making it available on a temporary basis for purposes incidental to its purposes.

Regional Development Agencies

David Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what changes have been made to the 2002–03 allocations of the regional development agencies since 16 April.

Alan Johnson: There has been no change to the overall budget for the RDAs, but, following consultation with the RDAs it has been decided slightly to revise the size of the central contingency fund for in-year shocks. £5 million has been redistributed between the RDAs. The new individual budgets are shown in the table.
	
		
			Allocation(4)  
			 RDA Gross Net of receipts 
		
		
			 Advantage West Midlands 194,640 192,169 
			 East of England 75,000 76,307 
			 East Midlands 99,980 101,247 
			 London 295,820 286,327 
			 North West 284,740 274,827 
			 One North East 192,360 185,338 
			 South East of England 101,360 100,480 
			 South West of England 91,880 93,840 
			 Yorkshire Forward 220,220 186,620 
			  
			 Total 1,556,000 1,497,155 
		
	
	(4) Including additional programmes (regional selective assistance, broadband and regional centres for manufacturing expertise)

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Rwanda

Ivan Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many ministerial visits were made to Rwanda between 1979 and 1997; and how many have been made since 1997.

Denis MacShane: Information on how may ministerial visits were made to Rwanda between 1979 and 1995 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	However, from 1995 when the British embassy in Rwanda opened there have been 11 ministerial visits to Rwanda. The majority of ministerial visits have been made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development (seven). She has visited Rwanda every year since 1997 and twice in 2002. Baroness Chalker visited in August 1996. My hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Central, then Minister of State in the FCO, visited Rwanda twice in 1998 and my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary visited Rwanda with his French counterpart, Hubert Vedrine, in January 2002.

Correspondence

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter dated 26 September 2001 from the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell relating to Mr. Jones of 1 West Farm Avenue, Ashtead, Surrey.

Ben Bradshaw: My office has no record of having received the letter to which the hon. Member refers. Once made aware that the hon. Member was still awaiting a reply, we immediately obtained a fax copy of the letter from his office. We received this on 11 April 2002. I have now replied.

Coolants

Jane Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the climate change impact will be of the use of HFC 134A to chill the water at the new GCHQ building.

Jack Straw: During its operational life, HFC 134A—a non-ozone depleting refrigerant—will be used in a sealed system and will have no impact on the climate. If a non-ozone depleting, non-global warming product becomes available commercially, the HFC 134A will be replaced.

Zimbabwe

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment has been made of the independence of the judiciary in Zimbabwe.

Denis MacShane: The International Bar Association visited Zimbabwe in March 2001 and concluded that the rule of law there was in peril, and that the Zimbabwe Government had acted in a way that put democracy at risk. We are not aware of any more recent assessments by expert legal organisations of the independence of the judiciary in Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe Government ignored the recommendations of the International Bar Association, and continues to apply pressure to members of the legal profession. Our judgment is that this pressure has seriously undermined the independence of the judiciary.

Exports to Iraq

Andy King: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what goods subject to strategic controls have recently been approved for export to Iraq.

Denis MacShane: Following consultation with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence, the Department of Trade and Industry recently approved a licence to export laboratory equipment to UNESCO for use by higher education institutions in northern Iraq. The export included bacterial growth media and potassium cyanide subject to the UN Import/Export (IMPEX) regime. Potassium cyanide is also subject to the Dual-Use Items (Export Control) Regulations 2000 as amended. The conclusion that this export does not represent a proliferation threat has been reached after careful assessment.
	The UN Iraq Sanctions Committee approved this export to Iraq under the Oil for Food programme (OFF). Under OFF Iraq is allowed to export unlimited quantities of oil to fund the purchase of humanitarian goods. The export is consistent with the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria.

Western Sahara

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action has been taken by United Kingdom representatives at the United Nations to ensure the people of the Western Sahara have the opportunity to vote on their future in a referendum; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: United Kingdom representatives in New York have worked in the United Nations Security Council and through informal contacts and groupings to find a resolution to the dispute over Western Sahara.
	During discussions on this matter, the UK's position remained consistent. The UK was impartial in this dispute and fully supported the position of the Secretary-General and his personal envoy, James Baker, to find a just and lasting solution to the situation in Western Sahara. The UK sought a just and durable outcome that allowed the people of the Western Sahara the right to self- determination. The UK wished to see both sides become flexibly engaged in the search for a long term solution, which at this point seemed stalled by their mutually exclusive objectives.

Gibraltar

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to change the status of Gibraltar; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to him on 10 May 2002, Official Report, column 396W.

Gibraltar

Andy King: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of his discussions with the Spanish Foreign Minister on 15 May.

Jack Straw: I met the Spanish Foreign Minister today to continue our discussions on Gibraltar. There was a friendly and constructive atmosphere. We noted that we have made good progress since July 2001 and remain committed to reaching agreement by the summer. At the same time we both acknowledged that there are real difficulties which remain to be resolved. We agreed to convene a further formal Brussels Process meeting in late June or early July.

Pakistan

David Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation of Mr. Ayub Masih, a Christian citizen in Pakistan; and if he proposes to monitor his appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeal against the charge of blasphemy.

Ben Bradshaw: We are deeply concerned about the misuse of the blasphemy laws in Pakistan and the fate of all Pakistani citizens, including Mr. Masih, who have been imprisoned and sentenced to death under these laws. Officials in London and Islamabad are in regular contact with human rights groups and Pakistan's minority communities. Together with our EU partners, we have raised our concerns at regular intervals with the Pakistani authorities, citing specific cases including Mr. Masih's. We raised his case again with the EU on 10 April 2002 and are now considering what further action we should take in support of Mr. Masih's Supreme Court Appeal.

Middle East

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the United Nations Security Council Resolution 242 of 22 November 1967; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: UN Security Council Resolution 242 of 22 November 1967 affirmed the need for a just and lasting peace in the middle east, including Israeli withdrawal from territories occupied in the recent conflict, and the right of all regional states to live in peace within secure and recognised boundaries. Together with more recent UN Security Council resolutions, this continues to form the basis of our policy on the middle east.

Belarus (Weapons Export Contracts)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what weapons export contracts have been signed by UK companies with Belarus since August 2001; what weapons and services were sold in these contracts; what each contract value was; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: I have been asked to reply.
	Details of commercial contracts are confidential between companies and their customers. However, details of the Government's export licensing decisions and information on the export of military weapons in major categories are published in the annual report on strategic export controls, copies of which are available from the Library of the House. The 2001 edition is currently being prepared.

Occupied Territories

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of damage caused to, and the likely costs of repair to, projects in the west bank and Gaza which are funded by Her Majesty's Government and EU institutions during (a) Israeli military incursions in April and (b) Israeli military action between September 2000 and April 2002; and if he will list the projects involved.

Clare Short: I have been asked to reply.
	I refer my hon. Friend to the answers given on 26 March 2002, Official Report, column 877W, and 1 May 2002, Official Report, column 843W. A list of damaged projects was placed in the Library of the House.
	The recent Israeli re-occupation has moved the issue of damage and assessment to an entirely different scale. A detailed damage assessment is being conducted by the international agencies. A joint World Bank/UNSCO (UN Special Co-ordinator's Office) paper is due to be circulated by 13 May, and follow-up action discussed at a local aid co-ordination committee meeting later next week. EU contribution to reconstruction efforts will be considered there (from the Commission and from member states).

TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REGIONS

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the Technical Adaptation Committee on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Whitehead: European Council Directive 89/391/EEC makes provision for committees to work on
	"the purely technical adjustments to the individual directives provided for in Article 16 (1) to take account of: the adoption of directives in the field of technical harmonization and standardization, and/or technical progress, changes in international regulations or specifications, and new findings . . ."
	The UK representatives at such meetings would be drawn from staff with the relevant technical and policy responsibilities within the Health and Safety Executive. During the last 12 months they have received no invitations to such technical meetings; nor are any currently scheduled.
	Together with member states, the European Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council decision 1999/468/EC, to
	"simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
	As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of the House on 26 February (Commission Document 5685–02). As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the Committee on the system of charging for the use of transport infrastructure is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The committee of Government experts on charging for the use infrastructure was established by the Commission following the publication of its 1998 White Paper "Fair Payment for Infrastructure Use: A phased approach to a common transport infrastructure charging framework in the EU" (COM(1998)466). It is composed of representatives of member states and is chaired by the European Commission. The terms of reference set for the group were to develop and advise the Commission on Community guidance on methods to estimate the marginal costs of transport; develop practices to promote transparency of accounts; promote the development of 'transport accounts' at member state level; and to advise the commission on statistical and research needs and priorities. The committee has met once in the last twelve months. The UK is represented by officials from my Department and the annual cost of its work to public funds is about £1,000. No items are currently under consideration by the committee.
	Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council decision 1999/468/EC, to
	"simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the commission".
	As an obligation to this decision, the commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both houses on 26 February (Com (2001) 783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the Committee for granting community financial aid in the field of trans-European transport networks is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The transport trans-European network (TEN) Financial Assistance Committee is established under the provisions of Article 17 of the TEN financing regulation (Regulation (EC) 2236–95). The Committee is composed of representatives of member states and is chaired by the European Commission. The remit of the Committee is to consider—and, where appropriate, to vote upon—budgetary measures proposed by the Commission. The Committee has met twice in the last 12 months. The UK is represented by officials from my Department and the annual cost of its work to public funds is about £2,000. The Committee will next consider a proposal from the Commission for the allocation of the 2002 transport TEN budget.
	Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology Committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
	"simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the commission".
	As an obligation to this decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of Committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both houses on 26 February (Com (2001) 783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government has encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology Committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the Advisory Committee on aids to transport by rail, road and inland waterway is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: This Committee was established under the provisions of article 6 of the 1970 regulation on the granting of aids for transport by rail, road and inland waterway (Regulation (EEC) No. 1107–70). The remit of the Committee is to assist the Commission in its examination of aids granted for transport by rail, road and inland waterway. When it met, the Committee was composed of representatives of member states and was chaired by the European Commission. But, as far as we are aware, the Committee has not met for several years. Were it to meet, the UK would be represented by officials from my Department. There have been no costs to public funds in recent years. No items are currently under consideration by the Committee.
	Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council decision 1999/468/EC, to
	"simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the commission".
	As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of Committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both houses on 26 February (Com (2001) 783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the Committee on the adaptation to scientific and technical progress of legislation concerning the transport of dangerous goods is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Committee on the adaptation to scientific and technical progress of legislation concerning the transport of dangerous goods is established under the provisions of article 9 of Council directive 94/55/EC on the approximation of the laws of the member states with regard to the transport of dangerous goods by road (the so-called ADR framework directive), as amended. It also deals with the adaptation to scientific and technical progress of the technical annexes to Council directive 96/49/EC on the approximation of the laws of the member states with regard to the transport of dangerous goods by rail (the so-called RID framework directive), as amended; Council directive 95/50/EC on uniform procedures for checks on the transport of dangerous goods by road, as amended; Council directives 96/35/EC and 2000/18/EC on the appointment and vocational qualification and minimum examination requirements of safety advisers for the transport of dangerous goods by road, rail and inland waterways; and Council directive 99/36/EC on transportable pressure equipment, as amended.
	The Committee is composed of representatives of the member states and is chaired by the Commission. Representatives of relevant European trade associations are also often invited to attend. The remit of the Committee is to consider—and where appropriate to vote upon—amendments to the technical annexes to the various directives listed above. The Committee has met twice in the last 12 months, and usually meets biannually. It often meets in tandem with a 'group of experts on the transport of dangerous goods' to discuss matters of mutual interest. The UK is represented by officials from my Department, usually accompanied by officials from the Health and Safety Executive, and the cost of its work, and that of the 'group of experts', to public funds is about £5,500.
	The Committee is next scheduled to meet on 25–26 June 2002 but, since there is unlikely to be the need for a formal vote, it is anticipated that this will be in the form of the 'group of experts'. Items on the agenda are likely to be question and answer information on transportable pressure equipment; consideration of national derogations under articles 6.9 and 6.10 from the ADR and RID framework directives; consideration of formal amendment of the technical annexes of the ADR and RID framework directives; and possible measures on the security of dangerous goods in road and rail transport.
	Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council decision 1999/468/EC, to
	"simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
	As an obligation to this decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of Committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February (Com (2001) 783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology Committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the Committee on the development of trans-European transport networks is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Committee on the development of the transport trans-European network (TEN) is established under the provisions of Article 18 of the transport TEN guidelines (decision no. 1692/96/EC). The Committee is composed of representatives of member states and is chaired by the European Commission. The Committee exchanges information on member states' transport TEN plans and programmes and assists the Commission in preparing its biennial report on the implementation of the TEN guidelines and its quinquennial report on the need for revisions to the guidelines. The Committee has met twice in the last 12 months. The UK is represented by officials from my Department and the annual cost of its work to public funds is about £2,000. The Committee is currently considering the scope of a revision to the transport TEN guidelines scheduled for 2004.
	Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council decision 1999/468/EC, to
	"simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
	As an obligation to this decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February (Com (2001) 783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Planning

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the balance was between (a) favourable and (b) unfavourable responses to the proposal in the planning Green Paper to regionalise planning responsibilities held at county level.

Sally Keeble: An analysis of the responses to the planning Green Paper is contained in the report of the consultants Smith and Williamson, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Spoiled Ballot Papers

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will place in the Library a list of the number of ballots rejected owing to want of an official mark in the local elections held on 2 May broken down by (a) London borough and (b) London borough election ward.

Alan Whitehead: This information is not collected centrally.

Marine Environment

Sydney Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how the Government intends to combine simplification of the coastal development regulatory system with continuing to protect the marine environment and maintain stakeholder involvement.

David Jamieson: The current regime for consenting development in coastal waters has developed over many years in a piecemeal way. There is general consensus among stakeholders that it has become too complex. The Government will therefore review the system with the aim of streamlining it and at the same time ensuring that Government's objectives for protection of the marine environment can be met. Stakeholders' views will inform the review and any proposals emerging from it will be fully consulted on. The terms of reference for the review will be announced shortly.

Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre

Lawrie Quinn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what performance targets he has set the Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre Executive Agency for 2002–03.

Alan Whitehead: The agency's principal financial target for 2002–03 is to achieve a minimum contribution to the Exchequer of £300,000.
	An operational target has been set to achieve combined room occupancy of 400 days in the three key conference areas within the centre.
	The agency is also being required to achieve a total of at least 25 stand-alone banqueting events. It also has the following quality of service targets:
	Overall score for value for money satisfaction of 90 per cent.
	The number of complaints received to be less than two per 100 events
	An average response time when answering complaints of less than four working days.

Departmental Policies

James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what impact his Department's policies have had on the Stalybridge and Hyde constituency since 1997.

Alan Whitehead: holding answer 7 May 2002
	The principal kinds of funding which this Department has provided to Tameside metropolitan borough council since 1997 are shown in the table. It is for the borough council to decide where within its boundary, including the Stalybridge and Hyde constituency, these resources are applied.
	
		£ million 
		
			 Item 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Revenue support grant (5)— 90 95 93 99 98 
			 Income from national non-domestic rates (5)— 50 55 61 60 65 
			 Central Government capital grant 7 5 9 8 (6)— (6)— 
			 Credit approvals available(9) 10 10 8 13 (6)— (6)— 
			 Neighbourhood Renewal Fund 0.6 1.0 
			 Single Regeneration Budget 2.5 2.8 3.1 3.2 3.8 3.5 
			 European Funding (7)— (7)— (7)— (8)— (8)— (8)— 
			 Transport Supplementary Grant 0.8 0.5 — — — — 
		
	
	Notes:
	(5) No figures available.
	(6) These figures have come from returns made by Tameside MBC to the Department. Figures for 2001–02 and 2002–03 are not yet available.
	(7) The 1997–99 Objective 2 Programme provided £38 million European funding to the Manchester City Pride Area which includes the Stalybridge and Hyde constituency.
	(8) The 2000–06 Objective 2 Programme is providing £36 million European funding to the Manchester sub region which includes the Stalybridge and Hyde constituency.
	(9) Covers housing, transport, social services, education.

Departmental Report

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he plans to publish his Department's annual report.

Alan Whitehead: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) on 15 April 2002, Official Report, column 774W.

Nesscliffe Bypass

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the completion of the Nesscliffe bypass on the A5 road.

David Jamieson: I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency, Tim Matthews, to reply to my hon. Friend.
	Letter from Tim Matthews to Mr. Paul Marsden, dated 15 May 2002
	The Transport Minister, David Jamieson, has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about completion of the A5 Nesscliffe Bypass.
	Work on Nesscliffe Bypass started in February this year and is on schedule for completion in Spring 2003. Current work includes site clearance, earthworks, drainage and the diversion of water, electricity and telecommunications services. Construction of the Wolfshead roundabout, which will link the new road with the existing A5, has begun and, during the early Summer, there will be traffic management on the A5 to enable the roundabout to be completed. The planting will be done towards the end of the contract.
	If you require any further information, Paul Tully, the Project Sponsor for this scheme, would be pleased to help. He can be contacted at the Agency's offices at Broadway, Broad Street, Birmingham, B15 1BL or by telephone on 0121 678 8456.

Bus Services

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what proportion of public bus services in England have been operated by Arriva in the last three years for which figures are available.

Sally Keeble: This information is not collected by my Department. However, information in the Bus Industry Monitor 2001 (published by TAS Publications & Events Ltd.) indicates that Arriva services represent around 15 per cent. of the total bus market, measured by turnover.

Bus Services

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much public subsidy has been paid to Arriva to maintain public bus services in England in the last three years for which figures are available.

Sally Keeble: Arriva, like many other bus companies, receives public support for maintaining bus services in the form of local authority funding of contracted subsidised services and concessionary fares and fuel duty rebate from my Department.
	My Department does not collect information on the amounts received by individual bus companies from local authorities.
	The amounts paid to individual claimants for fuel duty rebate are regarded as commercially confidential.
	We are undertaking a review of bus subsidy mechanisms to ensure that they contribute as effectively as possible to the achievement of our objectives.

Road Bridges (Railways)

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what action he takes to ensure that contractors accessing pylons are not endangering road bridges over railways.

David Jamieson: Contractors working on pylons on behalf of their operators are expected to comply with work practices that satisfy current safety legislation. This includes interaction with any related or third party structures.

Parking

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much has been raised in England and Wales from the issuing of parking tickets in the last financial year for which figures are available.

John Spellar: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Baillieston (Mr. Wray) on 26 March 2002, Official Report, columns 962–63W.

Network Rail

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when Network Rail's business plan will be published.

David Jamieson: This is a matter for Network Rail.

Network Rail

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  if EU state aid rules allow the Government (a) to provide initial financial support to Network Rail and (b) to provide subsequent, additional aid through the standby facilities from the Strategic Rail Authority;
	(2)  what rights exist under EU law to permit the Government to provide state aid to Network Rail to acquire the assets of Railtrack.

David Jamieson: The Government will make sure that any state aid provided to Network Rail, if it is successful in its bid to acquire Railtrack plc, is fully compatible with the EC Treaty, bearing in mind the rescue and restructuring guidelines and also articles 73 and 86(2) of the Treaty. That is equally true of any initial financial support and any standby facilities.

Network Rail

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whether the Strategic Rail Authority expects Network Rail's business plan to require an interim review.

David Jamieson: Any decision to apply to the rail regulator for an interim review would be a matter for Network Rail, if the company succeeds in its bid to acquire Railtrack plc and becomes network operator.

Network Rail

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions through what mechanisms Network Rail's management will be held to account for their performance.

David Jamieson: In common with other companies, Network Rail's management would be responsible to the company's board and also to the membership. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made clear when he outlined the structure of a possible company limited by guarantee, in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Preston (Mr. Hendrick) on 23 October 2001, Official Report, columns 195W-97W, management would need to be properly incentivised to deliver a quality rail network. Discussions are continuing on the company's incentive proposals. Finally, if Network Rail succeeds in its bid to become network operator, the company would, like Railtrack, be subject to the regulatory system.

Network Rail

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  which members of Network Rail's management team have previous management experience in the heavy rail industry; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many salaried employees Network Rail has;
	(3)  who will be responsible for the recruitment of board members to Network Rail;

David Jamieson: The details of its proposals are a matter for Network Rail.

Network Rail

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what information he has received from the Office of National Statistics about the status of debt raised by Network Rail.

David Jamieson: The ONS took a preliminary view in October 2001 that the proposed company limited by guarantee described to them at that time would not be classified within the public sector. The ONS will take a view upon the Network Rail proposals once negotiations are completed.

Network Rail

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions who took the decision to recruit each of the directors of Network Rail; and if he will list the directors.

David Jamieson: When Network Rail was launched on 25 March 2002, the company announced that three non- executive directors—Ian McAllister, Adrian Montague and Iain Coucher—had been appointed. These appointments were made on the initiative of the CLG bid team. Further appointments are a matter for Network Rail. Appointments to the CLG bid team were covered in my reply to the hon. Member on 12 February 2002, Official Report, column 213W.

London Underground

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much surplus office space London Underground has.

David Jamieson: London Underground currently has no surplus head office space. Over the last few years, as part of a controlled programme of disposal of surplus assets, London Underground has disposed of virtually all of its commercial office space which can be separated from the railway undertaking.

London Underground

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he expects (a) London Underground and the infrastructure companies to complete their draft final contracts for the London Underground and (b) to sign approval of the final contracts; what processes up to this latter stage are still to be (i) undertaken and (ii) completed; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: London Underground Limited has agreed commercial terms for the Tube modernisation plans and signed agreements on 8 May to that effect with two consortia, Metronet and Tube Lines Group.
	There are a number of detailed processes which need to be completed prior to the contracts taking effect, in addition to putting in place the necessary finance, and securing safety and other regulatory clearances.
	I expect the contracts to take effect this summer, once these arrangements have been completed.

Railtrack

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the legal status of the financial guarantees by the Government to the Railtrack administrator will be if administration lasts beyond 30 September.

David Jamieson: The Government's guarantee of Railtrack plc's commercial borrowing will continue in full force and effect until all guaranteed borrowing has been repaid. Under the terms of the commercial loan agreement Railtrack plc's commercial borrowing must be repaid no later than 23 September 2002.

Railtrack

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he estimates that the target to end Railtrack administration by the end of July will be met.

David Jamieson: Network Rail said at the time of making a bid for Railtrack plc that, if accepted, Railtrack could be released from administration by the end of July. Network Rail has not indicated that its timetable has changed. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has repeatedly said that this is a challenging time scale.

Air Pollutants

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment his Department's Health committee on the medical effects of air pollutants has made to aldehydes in the last five years; what conclusions have been drawn; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	In December 2000, the Department's committee on the medical effects of air pollutants (COMEAP) published a statement on the effects on health of aldehydes in ambient air. The statement reflected the committee's conclusions of the evidence of the effects on health of aldehydes.
	A copy of the statement follows, and is also available on the Department's website at http://www.doh.gov.uk/ comeap/statementsreports/aldehydes.htm
	Committee on the medical effects of air pollutants statement on effects on health of aldehydes in ambient air
	Aldehydes found in ambient air include irritant compounds such as formaldehyde and acrolein. It is possible, though unlikely, that exposure to the concentrations of these compounds found commonly in ambient air in the UK could cause symptoms of irritation of the eyes or mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract. Outdoor concentrations of formaldehyde are generally low in comparison with concentrations that have been shown to produce irritation. Concentrations indoors may, on occasion, be sufficient to cause irritation: this is due to the release of aldehydes from building materials and from house fittings.
	Though formaldehyde is a carcinogen in rats, the risks to humans associated with exposure to ambient concentrations, if any, will be extremely small.
	Occupational exposure to high concentrations of formaldehyde has been linked with the development of asthma and a hypersensitivity response to this compound. The evidence is not clear cut: much more convincing is the evidence regarding the response to glutaraldehyde, though the concentrations of this compound in ambient air are very low. It is highly unlikely that exposure to ambient levels of aldehydes would lead to allergic and respiratory problems. There is some evidence to suggest that exposure to formaldehyde indoors is associated with asthma symptoms in children. However, the overall evidence is not, however, completely clear cut and more research will be necessary before this issue can be finally resolved.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Incapacity Benefit

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reason service invalid pensions are classed as occupational pensions when deciding the benefit entitlement from incapacity benefit; and when this rule was introduced.

Nick Brown: We introduced changes to the treatment of occupational pensions in incapacity benefit in April 2001. We believe it is right to take account of pensions which duplicate the purpose of incapacity benefit, which is to provide some replacement of earnings for people of working age. Benefit is reduced by 50 per cent. of pension income in excess of £85 a week.
	Pension income includes occupational pensions paid on cessation of employment. Armed forces service pensions paid on cessation of service are occupational pensions and are treated in the same way as other occupational pensions.

Parliamentary Questions

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the written questions asked of him between (a) 1 to 30 June 2001, (b) 1 to 31 July 2001, (c) 1 to 30 September 2001, (d) 1 to 31 October 2001, (e) 1 to 30 November 2001, (f) 1 to 31 December 2001, (g) 1 to 31 January 2002, (h) 1 to 28 February 2002, (i) 1 to 31 March 2002 and (j) 1 to 30 April 2002 that had not received a substantive answer by 30 April; and if he will state (i) the name of the hon. Member asking the question and (ii) the reasons the question had not received a substantive answer.

Maria Eagle: holding answer 2 May 2002
	At 30 April there were 10 written questions from January that remained unanswered, 18 from February, 82 from March and 114 from April. Of these, 33 were not due for answer until 1 May or later. The identification numbers and the names of the hon. Members who tabled the questions have been placed in the Library. For the reasons for delay I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. John Bercow) on 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 225W.

Pension Entitlements (Public Sector)

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what powers he has to intervene against public sector employers who withdraw pension entitlements from their work force.

Ian McCartney: My right hon. Friend has no powers to intervene against public sector or private sector employers who withdraw pension entitlements (i.e. pension rights that have been accrued in an occupational pension scheme) from pension scheme members. In the exceptional circumstance where an employee may have their entitlements withdrawn (for example if the employer becomes insolvent), then the matter would be handled by the competent authority—for example the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority, Pensions Advisory Service or the Pensions Ombudsman.
	Public service pension scheme benefits and conditions are the responsibility of the sponsoring Departments, and are not the responsibility of the Secretary of State.

Benefits Decision Makers

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what the average length of time that decision makers involved on benefit entitlement have remained in their posts before being transferred to other duties has been over the last 12 months for which figures are available;
	(2)  what the average annual salary of decision-makers deciding on benefit entitlements is;
	(3)  what the average length of service of decision- makers employed in deciding on benefit entitlement is.

Ian McCartney: The information is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Social Fund

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has for making personal advisers available for social fund applicants.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 18 April 2002
	The role of the personal adviser is to provide work-focused advice and support to people of working age to give them the opportunity to work where they are able to do so. Many social fund applicants will already have had the opportunity to see a personal adviser, for example people making new or repeat claims to benefit at integrated Jobcentre Plus offices, people claiming jobseeker's allowance and people participating in the new deals.
	Staff administering the social fund aim to provide the best possible advice to their clients over the telephone or in person, and this will continue under Jobcentre Plus and the Pension Service.

Timber

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the companies from which his Department has obtained timber and wood products and the total spent with each firm over the last five years.

Nick Brown: Current data capture systems do not enable the information to be reported in the format requested.

Pensions

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many United Kingdom companies have ended their final salary pension schemes in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001 and (f) 2002.

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many final salary schemes have closed in each year since May 1997; how many people have been affected; and what estimate he has made of how many such schemes he expects to close over each of the next five years.

Ian McCartney: The information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available is given in the table.
	Data for the 1997–98 tax year include many schemes where a change occurred at an earlier date which was not reported to the Registry. This was because many schemes were not required to pay a levy until the Pensions Act 1995 came into force in April 1997. In these cases a default date of 1 April 1997 has been used therefore artificially inflating the figures for that year.
	Defined benefit schemes that have closed, frozen, started to wind up or completed winding up.
	
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 
		
		
			 Schemes closed 542 113 116 157 103 
			 schemes frozen 1,095 49 57 98 37 
			 Schemes starting to wind up 11 19 632 306 228 
			 Schemes completed winding up 800 917 681 576 278 
			  
			 Total schemes closed, frozen, starting to wind up or completed winding up 2,448 1,098 1,486 1,137 646 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The information is based on data held by the Pension Schemes Registry (PSR). It relates to final salary schemes only. There is a large minority of schemes on the Register where the scheme type is unknown, there are also some schemes offering a mixture of salary related and money purchase benefits. None of these schemes are included in the table.
	2. Closed schemes do not admit new active members, but allow existing members to continue to accrue benefits. Frozen schemes do not allow any future accruals. Schemes starting to wind up are also frozen. Schemes that have completed wind up have no members—all assets are realised and all liabilities are discharged.
	3. The information relates to schemes, not employers. Some employers operate several schemes. Closure of a scheme may be due to a bulk transfer of members to another scheme.
	4. The PSR system holds information on the most recent change in scheme status and the effective date of the change. Because of the way the data is held a later change will overwrite an earlier change, so data for earlier years become increasingly inaccurate. Trustees are required to report changes within 12 months so there is likely to be a lag before the data reflects what is happening currently.

Industrial Action (Jobcentre Plus)

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what research has been undertaken by his Department into the effectiveness of security screens in preventing physical assault upon staff in Benefits Agency and Employment Service offices.

Nick Brown: holding answer 5 February 2002
	The Department has undertaken a thorough review of the impact of screens in protecting staff from physical assaults. The review has taken account of the experience of a number of major public and private sector employers, both in the UK and abroad, as well as the results of an investigation carried out by the Tavistock Institute for the Employment Service. A copy of this latter research report has been placed in the Library. The general conclusions to emerge from this work are that the presence of screens tends to make communication between staff and customers seem more unfriendly and uncaring, which is, in turn, more likely to predispose agitated or anxious people towards aggression.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Ethical Trading Initiative

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action she is taking to strengthen the work of the Ethical Trading Initiative in promoting core labour standards in developing countries.

Hilary Benn: DFID has supported the Ethical Trading Initiative since its establishment. The ETl's corporate members have a combined turnover of £100 billion and, working with trade unions and NGOs, they are trying to improve labour standards in supplier companies. We recently agreed funding of £1.3 million for the ETI over the next three years.

Ethical Trading Initiative

Patrick Hall: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support her Department is providing to the ethical trading initiative in 2002–03.

Clare Short: I recently agreed funding of £1.315 million to strengthen the work of the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) over the next three years. This will be disbursed in yearly tranches. The tranche for 2002–03 is £513,000. This is 47.5 per cent. of total ETI income in this year. Subsequent years will see a decrease in the proportion of DFID funds as a proportion of total funds, to 40 per cent. in year two and 26.5 per cent. in year three.
	We have provided £780,000 since the ETI was set up in 1998 to the end of March 2002. This new three-year grant of £1.315 million represents 38 per cent. of total ETI income over this forthcoming three-year period. This new funding will enable the ETI to build on the excellent progress it has made over the last three years and to develop expertise and knowledge in new areas which will help its increasing number of members continue to improve labour conditions in the supply chains of corporate members. The remaining 62 per cent. will be generated by corporate and NGO membership fees and a small amount of trading income from services provided to non-members, such as for training. The corporate membership fee total over the period is expected to be £1.92 million, or 56 per cent. of total income. However, ETl's "learning by doing" approach is very demanding on members' time and other resources and this contribution has been conservatively valued as a further £1.8 million over three years.
	DFID has supported the Ethical Trading Initiative since its establishment in 1998. It is an alliance of major British retailers, non-governmental organisations and trade unions dedicated to the improvement of labour standards throughout the supply chains of its corporate members. The ETl's corporate members bring together almost £100 billion in annual turnover. Significant proportions of the corporate members' supply chains are located in developing countries and the ETI therefore has a considerable worldwide reach. The corporate members are committed to independent verification, and work to bring their supply chains into compliance with International Labour Organisation standards in a way that brings benefits to workers in developing countries.

Debt Relief

Richard Bacon: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress is being made on debt relief for poor countries.

Clare Short: So far, 26 out of a total of 42 countries have qualified for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative, and we expect Cote d'lvoire to qualify soon. Five countries either are not opting or do not qualify for HIPC. Many of the remaining countries are in conflict and cannot gain debt relief until they make peace.

Debt Relief

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress is being made on debt relief for poor countries.

Clare Short: So far, 26 out of a total of 42 countries have qualified for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative, and by the autumn, Cote d'lvoire could be added to the list of countries benefiting from the Initiative. Relief of more than US$60 billion will be provided to these countries, reducing their debts by more than two-thirds on average. Of the 26 countries, 21 have reached decision point and are receiving interim debt relief on their 'flow' of payment, and five have completed the HIPC process, and have received an irrevocable reduction in their stock of debt. We hope that a further three will reach their completion point this year. The prospects for the remaining eleven unsustainable countries are not good. Six—Burundi, Congo Republic, Liberia, Myanmar, Somalia and Sudan—are still affected by conflict; Togo has governance problems; Central African Republic, DR Congo and Comoros might go through next year and Lao PDR is undecided as to whether to opt for HIPC relief. Angola, Kenya, Vietnam and Yemen are regarded as sustainable cases, eligible for relief from the Paris Club.

Peacekeeping Units (Balkans and Chechnya)

Julian Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with the MOD over restoring payments from her budget to military units engaged in peacekeeping for local development work in (a) the Balkans and (b) Chechnya.

Hilary Benn: DFID works closely with the MOD in peacekeeping operations.
	In Bosnia and Herzegovena and in Kosovo we have provided funding to British forces, initially to support humanitarian assistance activities and then to encourage refugee return.
	There is no international peacekeeping force in Chechnya.

Afghanistan

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to her oral statement of 17 April 2002, Official Report, column 558, on Afghanistan, what action she has taken to provide farmers with a chance of making a living by planting crops other than poppies.

Clare Short: There is no quick or easy solution to the problem of drug cultivation in Afghanistan. We are supporting long-term development and poverty reduction strategies in order to create an environment in which a reduction in the opium poppy crop can be sustained beyond the next harvest.

Afghanistan

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress is being made with the reconstruction of Afghanistan.

Clare Short: Good progress is being made with the reconstruction of Afghanistan. The Interim Afghan Authority has prepared a national development framework and draft budget. Major investment and advisory projects are being designed in key sectors. The Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund has been established. Preparations are well advanced for the Emergency Loya Jirga next month that will appoint a Transitional Authority for the coming two years. Meanwhile, humanitarian assistance continues to be provided. Recovery activities are gathering pace, although it will take some time for the benefits to be felt by ordinary Afghans. Refugees are returning to Afghanistan in increasing numbers. But the security and political situation is still fragile. Much remains to be done: reconstruction will require a long-term effort.
	At the Tokyo conference in January, donors pledged $4.5 billion in aid over the next two and a half years. The agreed objective was to support the establishment of a secure and stable sovereign state based on the rule of law, able to absorb returning refugees, no longer a haven for international terrorists and drug traffickers, and in stable relationships with its neighbours based on mutual respect and non-interference. The continuing necessity of humanitarian relief was recognised.
	The conference also emphasised the need for close coordination between international donors and the Afghan Interim Administration. Donors have participated in multi-donor missions covering a range of areas, including health, education, agriculture, public finance, transport, infrastructure and community development.
	The UK is playing its part, in the political, military and development arenas. Our leadership of the International Security Assistance Force has helped to bring stability to Kabul, establishing the authority of the Interim Administration. We have provided support for poppy crop eradication. We have disbursed around £60 million since 11 September through direct contributions to multilateral agencies and quick impact projects. We have plans in hand for further expenditure of about £40 million this financial year. It is clear that this year, and perhaps next, the majority of this assistance will need to continue to fund humanitarian and recovery programmes. As now, this will include direct contributions to UN agencies and NGOs, quick impact projects to kick-start the recovery process and to underpin the Interim Administration until the Emergency Loyal Jirga, practical support to the political process, and help to establish the Afghan Authority for Assistance.
	For the longer term reconstruction effort, we believe it will be important to avoid overburdening the Transitional Authority with many bilateral programmes, each funded by different donors with their own procedures and reporting mechanisms. For that reason we will channel much of our assistance through the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund. We intend to commit at least half of our Tokyo pledge—£100 million—to the fund. We have already paid in our first contribution—the first donor to do so. We are encouraging other donors also to maximise their contributions to the fund, which we believe should be the main source of funding both for the reconstruction programme and for any quick impact recovery work.
	Our bilateral technical assistance is deliberately focused on support for capacity building in the Ministry of Finance and Central bank, in conjunction with the World bank and IMF. We also plan to support security sector reform, drawing on funds from the Global Conflict Prevention Pool.

Afghanistan

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.

Clare Short: The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan remains serious. However, although some areas remain inaccessible due to volatile security conditions, the United Nations is now able to access 80 per cent. of the country, humanitarian aid is being delivered in significant quantities, and agencies are adapting their programmes from the provision of relief to include recovery activities. Since October 2001, the international community has contributed over $750 million to Afghanistan to meet humanitarian and recovery needs, as identified by the United Nations in its Immediate and Transitional Assistance Programme.

Afghanistan

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many refugees have returned to Afghanistan from (a) Iran and (b) Pakistan in the last six months; and what proportion of these have been provided with adequate food and shelter when they return.

Clare Short: The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) estimate that approximately 820,000 people have returned to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan in the last six months: 145,000 from Iran and 675,000 from Pakistan. Approximately 535,000 (65 per cent.) of those have returned with assistance from UNHCR as part of their assisted voluntary return programme. As well as transportation, returnees taking part in UNHCR's programme receive plastic sheeting, a repair kit, blankets, kitchen equipment and other relief items. Assisted returnees also receive an emergency ration of 150kg of wheat from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

Afghanistan

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of the poppy fields used for drug cultivation in Afghanistan have been destroyed.

Denis MacShane: I have been asked to reply.
	According to the Interim Administration a total of approximately 16,000 hectares of opium poppy have been destroyed so far. This is equivalent to approximately 74 tonnes of heroin which is up to three times the estimated UK annual consumption. The amount destroyed represents about a third of the crop in the main poppy-growing areas. Eradication continues in regions where the harvest starts later.

Kaliningrad

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions her Department has had about programmes to support the development of civil society and to combat social problems in Kaliningrad.

Clare Short: The focus of DFlD's bilateral programme in Russia is at the federal level and in two partner oblasts—Leningrad and Nizhny Novgorod. Kaliningrad is not one of the partner oblasts. However, we are major contributors to the European Commission's TACIS programme, which does work in Kaliningrad.

Developing Countries (Political Systems)

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support her Department is giving to strengthening political systems in developing countries.

Clare Short: Most poor countries have adopted formal democratic institutions. We work in many countries to support their efforts to strengthen these institutions so that all their people, especially the poor, have effective representation and participation. To this end we have supported the development of the better working of formal political institutions: electoral processes, parliaments, civil society, the media; and political panties on a non-partisan basis.
	In supporting these areas we often work through international organisations such as the Commonwealth and independent bodies such as the Westminster Foundation for Democracy and the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs.

Malawi

David Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the work of her Department in Malawi.

Clare Short: My Department is managing a £70 million programme this year, making DFID the largest donor in Malawi. Assistance is concentrated on rural livelihoods, health, education and governance.
	There has been a substantial shortfall in Malawi's 2002 maize harvest (the country's main staple). DFID is at the forefront of efforts to help. Since January, my Department has provided an additional £4.6 million in direct food relief for distribution through local non-governmental organisations. We have provided a further £1.2 million for "winter" food production (expected to yield 75,000 metric tonnes of maize by September) and a much larger programme, timed to coincide with November rains, is in preparation.

Malawi

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action she is taking to improve food distribution by NGOs in southern Africa, with particular reference to Malawi.

Clare Short: We have provided £5.1 million for NGOs to distribute food to those who are worst affected by maize shortages in Malawi. Now that the 2002 harvest is coming in, there is time to concentrate on improving national food security strategy. DFID is supporting joint Government, NGO, private sector, donor working groups to this end.

Malawi

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the level of cholera in Malawi; and what is being done to reduce levels of cholera.

Clare Short: According to WHO, Malawi's recent cholera epidemic was one of the worst that the country has experienced with 981 deaths resulting from 33,510 cases. The epidemic started last October and reached a peak in March 2002, since when case numbers have returned to pre-epidemic levels. The average cholera case fatality rate was particularly high this year because the outbreak coincided with food shortage. In these circumstances, reduced attention to hygienic practices in food preparation and consumption led to increased infection rates; these contributed to higher death rates. A national shortage of intravenous fluids contributed to the difficulties in treating the abnormally high case load. The Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP) only presented a situation report and appealed for assistance in mid-March, by which time it was too late to co-ordinate an external response and the epidemic was already waning. The MOHP and development partners in the health sector are planning support for improved disease surveillance and response to avoid the same situation arising next year.

Malawi

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the prospects for famine in Malawi; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: We are in contact with FAO which is making an assessment of the food situation in Malawi and neighbouring countries. Their report is expected within the next two to three weeks. DFID has spent £5.1 million since January on food relief in Malawi. We stand ready to do more in the light of FAO findings.

Malawi

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with the (a) European Union and (b) United Nations about a co-ordinated response to the humanitarian situation in Malawi.

Clare Short: We are working closely with all donors represented in Malawi including the European Union and the World Food Programme. FAO will complete an assessment of the food situation in Malawi and the region within the next 2–3 weeks. Donors will then discuss with the Government of Malawi what steps should be taken to cover the maize shortfall.

United Nations Children's Summit

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what was agreed at the UN children's summit.

Clare Short: The UN General Assembly Special Session on Children agreed an outcomes document entitled "A World Fit for Children" which sets global priorities for tackling child poverty and promoting child rights and repeated the UN commitment to the millennium development goals. The document gives particular emphasis to health, education, child protection and HIV/AIDS. The Chancellor of the Exchequer attended the special session and urged world leaders to provide additional finance to tackle child poverty.

EU Aid Budget

Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress is being made in reforming the EU aid budget.

Clare Short: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 10 May 2002, Official Report, column 387W.

Georgia

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what further steps she plans to take to assist Georgia.

Clare Short: We are committed to providing direct assistance to Georgia, in support to the Government of Georgia's poverty reduction and economic growth programme, working closely with the World bank and the EU.
	DFlD's proposed direct assistance to Georgia over the next three years will amount to £6.75 million.
	We also contribute to multilateral assistance to Georgia. For example in 2000 we contributed £1.7 million through the EU, £0.3 million through the UN and £0.8 million through the World bank.

Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what reforms she plans to support the heavily indebted poor countries initiative when the issue is discussed at the autumn meetings of the World bank and the IMF.

Clare Short: We are currently examining a range of options for discussions about the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative at the Annual Meeting of the World bank and IMF this autumn. Our key priority is to ensure that no country exits the HIPC Initiative with an unsustainable debt burden. We also need to look at debt relief in conjunction with other policies and instruments, to ensure that countries committed to poverty reduction are able to finance their poverty reduction strategies.

Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative

Chris Pond: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action her Department is taking to address the issue of debt sustainability for those countries which have qualified under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries initiative.

Clare Short: The Government has been working to try to ensure that countries exit the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative process with sustainable debt levels. At the Annual Meetings of the World bank and IMF in Ottawa last November, we raised this concern and asked the World bank staff to revisit the debt sustainability analyses of all commodity dependent low-income countries, including HlPCs. The IMF and World bank analysis, published last month, shows that, although the situation varies from country to country, the external debt indicators for most HIPC countries have deteriorated, and several HIPC countries now face unsustainable debt burdens as a result. Following UK pressure, the World bank and IMF boards have agreed to provide additional relief to countries in this situation. This was reconfirmed at the Spring Meetings last month, and Burkina Faso became the first HIPC country to benefit from 'topping up' at Completion Point. We are also pressing the Bank and Fund to take more concrete action to encourage non-Paris Club creditors that have not yet delivered debt relief, to do so.
	Debt relief is, however, not a panacea and further measures, including sound economic and debt management by HlPCs themselves, will be required beyond HIPC, to enable countries to maintain debt sustainability levels. To this end, the UK is co-financing a multi-donor funded project to help strengthen the debt management capacity in HIPC countries.

Developing Countries (Effective Negotiation)

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance her Department is giving to help developing nations negotiate effectively in international organisations; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: In our second White Paper on international development, Eliminating World Poverty: Making Globalisation Work for the Poor (2000), we made a commitment to work towards a stronger and more effective voice for developing countries in the policy and regulatory mechanisms of the international financial system. To this end we are providing capacity-building support in diverse ways, bilaterally and in collaboration with other donors, to small states and least developed countries in order to strengthen their negotiating capacity.
	In addition to many capacity building projects in-country, we are collaborating with other donors to provide support at key institutions. Examples of this include support to:
	the multi-donor Debt Capacity Building Programme, which assists countries negotiate HIPC relief with the International Financial Institutions and the Paris Club;
	the Agency for International Trade Information and Co-operation, which helps countries with little or no representation at the WTO in Geneva;
	the independent, Geneva-based, Advisory Centre on WTO Law which helps countries take a case through dispute settlement at the WTO;
	a Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights and Development Capacity Building Project with the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and ICTSD (International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development), which aims to improve the ability of country partners to participate effectively in negotiations on intellectual property rights; and
	the Caribbean Community's (CARICOM) Regional Negotiating Machinery (RNM) to strengthen the region's capacity in trade negotiations with the European Union on the Cotonou Agreement, the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and the Free Trade Area of the Americas.

EU Development Funds

Wayne David: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what improvement there has been in the way EU development funds are allocated since 2000.

Clare Short: In 2000 only 38 per cent. of EC official development assistance payments went to poor countries down from 52 per cent. in 1999. Accurate figures for EC spending in 2001 will be available early next year. However, it is likely that the share of EC spending in low income countries will have risen since expenditure from the European Development Fund in Africa, Caribbean and Pacific countries-most of which are low income-is reported to have increased significantly.
	There have also been improvements in the budgetary allocations for Asia, which has the largest number of poor people of any region. Last year we secured an extra e70m for Asia including humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan. In the Preliminary Draft Budget for 2003 these increases have been sustained and are balanced by cuts in assistance to the Balkans now that the emergency reconstruction phase has ended.
	The poverty focus and effectiveness of EC allocations is still low. My Department continues to push for allocations based on developmental needs to countries committed to reducing their poverty.

Debt Cancellation

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress towards cancellation of unpayable debt owed by the poorest countries to the IMF and World Bank she expects from the G8 summit in Canada.

Clare Short: Under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative, the World Bank and IMF have agreed to meet their share—estimated at US$10.8 billion—of the total estimated US$36.4 billion costs for the Initiative. We are currently exploring with our G8 partners whether there are further actions they might wish to support on debt. It is important to ensure the full financing of any multilateral debt relief, to reduce the risk of skewing development resources away from other very poor countries who have handled their debt well. We will therefore be raising the issue of HIPC financing, and the possible need for further contributions to the HIPC Trust Fund.

Investment (Social Responsibility)

Desmond Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action her Department is taking to help promote socially responsible business practice by UK companies that invest in developing countries.

Clare Short: Many companies are now recognising the key role they are able to play in making globalisation work for the poor. They are also realising that socially and environmentally responsible business practices in developed and developing countries can make their operations more sustainable. Many UK businesses are playing a leading role in the development of socially responsible business practices, but there is still much progress to be made. My Department supports a number of socially responsible business initiatives aimed at improving the social, ethical and environmental impact of businesses operating in developing countries. It is also supporting research to develop tools to measure the poverty impact of such initiatives.

Trade Barriers

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations her Department has made to the EU with regard to removing barriers to trade for developing countries.

Clare Short: The UK recognises that, even with the preferential trade access available to many developing countries, the highest tariffs continue to fall on historically sensitive products of interest to developing countries, particularly agricultural goods, textiles and clothing. In order to tackle the substantial barriers to trade, a new trade round was launched at the fourth WTO ministerial meeting in Doha in November last year with a pro- development agenda. The meeting resulted in agreement on the need to reduce barriers to trade in agriculture and manufactured goods. In response to this, my Department is working with the DTI and DEFRA to ensure that these commitments become a reality.

Zimbabwe

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid her Department is providing to Zimbabwe; for what purpose; and what steps they are taking to ensure that it reaches the intended destination.

Clare Short: DFID provided assistance of approximately £16 million for Zimbabwe in 2001–02. Our programme is fully focused on mitigating the humanitarian crisis and combating HIV/AIDs.
	Due to the continuing poor policy environment, I have recently permanently closed a number of activities which were previously suspended, as it is now impossible for these to achieve their original objectives. This included a project on poverty monitoring and analysis with the Ministry of Social Welfare, and the civil society Land Resettlement Challenge Fund. One remaining programme, supporting a local district council, will cease in September on completion of outstanding works. All other programmes work with non-Governmental and multilateral organisations, and we continue to monitor these very closely to ensure maximum impact on intended beneficiaries.

Zimbabwe

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she is taking to reduce levels of HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe.

Clare Short: With an adult HIV infection rate of 35 per cent., it is estimated that AIDS claims the lives of over 2,000 Zimbabweans weekly and that up to 900,000 children have lost one or both parents. AIDS is a major factor in poverty, affecting the lives of sufferers and those who care for them and orphaned children. It is a priority for DFID's programme in Zimbabwe.
	Currently DFID is spending around £6 million annually in Zimbabwe on the provision of condoms and other contraceptives; targeted HIV prevention; the provision of drugs for sexually transmitted infections and TB; and strengthening civil society organisations that care for people living with AIDS. DFID supports innovative ways of reaching young people, sex workers, and mobile populations including partnering with Coke-Zimbabwe to promote condom use in rural areas.

Zimbabwe

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the New Partnership for Africa's Development in bringing good Government to Zimbabwe.

Clare Short: As an African owned and led initiative, we believe that NEPAD is of significant importance, but is a long-term process. Peer review of governance issues is one of its key elements. If Zimbabwe signs up to this, such reviews can help increase pressure for reform, a message that may carry greater weight coming from Africa's leaders.

Zimbabwe

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she last held meetings with officials from the Government of (a) South Africa and (b) Nigeria to discuss the political situation in Zimbabwe.

Clare Short: I have had no such meetings recently. Officials from my Department and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have frequent contacts with representatives of African Governments to share concerns about developments in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she last held discussions with representatives from the Movement for Democratic Change in Zimbabwe.

Clare Short: I last met Morgan Tsvangirai and other senior members of the MDC leadership on 2 July 2001. DFID officials have continued a dialogue with MDC representatives and with a wide range of civil society organisations on matters of developmental and humanitarian interest.

Zimbabwe

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she is taking to improve food security levels in Zimbabwe.

Clare Short: It is for the Government of Zimbabwe to provide leadership in improving food security in Zimbabwe. As yet there is no credible national plan to tackle the problems, which continue to deteriorate. DFID has provided £3.5 million to the World Food Programme and £4 million to NGOs to help feed children and vulnerable adults. We are waiting for the results of a new UN food assessment that is currently under way, and we will consider any new proposals that may arise from its findings.

Zimbabwe

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what policy her Department is pursuing to encourage the restoration of democratic Government to Zimbabwe.

Clare Short: We believe that the restoration of democratic Government to Zimbabwe is essential if Zimbabwe is to restore its economy and services to its people. Her Majesty's Government will continue to work closely with colleagues in the EU, the Commonwealth, the United States and other countries to impress this on the Zimbabwe authorities. We are also working closely with African countries to this end.

Zimbabwe

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what NGOs and charities her Department supports in Zimbabwe.

Clare Short: I will write to the hon. Member.

Zimbabwe

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the levels of political violence in Zimbabwe; and if she will make a statement on her Department's strategy to deal with political violence in Zimbabwe.

Denis MacShane: I have been asked to reply.
	Politically motivated violence in Zimbabwe continues unabated.
	We deplore the failure of the Zimbabwean Government to take steps to stop the violence. In response, the international community, including the UK, has imposed a number of measures against the Zimbabwean regime, including an arms embargo, a travel ban and an assets freeze aimed at senior figures. The EU, US and others have said they will consider additional measures if the political violence and abuses of democratic principles do not stop. We support this.

Palestinian Authority

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on how much aid has been given to the Palestinian Authority.

Clare Short: The international community has provided financial and technical assistance to the Palestinian Authority since the Oslo Peace Accords of 1993 and 1994. This has been designed to support the delivery of basic social services, and help develop the capacity of the Palestinian Authority to participate effectively in the peace process. Total donor assistance since 1994 (figures most readily available) for the Palestinian Territories and for Palestinian refugees was $3.87 billion.
	The major contributor has been the European Commission, the UK share of which comes from the Department for International Development budget. Between 1994 and 2001, EC aid for the period totalled euro 1.446 billion. The UK share of this is an estimated euro 245 million. Over the same period, the World bank provided about £13 million between 1994 and 2001. The UK share was £650,000.
	UK bilateral aid for the period 1996–97 to 2001–02 totalled £48.838 million. Between 1997 and 2001, the UK also provided £65.9 million to UNRWA for Palestinian refugees.

Sierra Leone

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support she plans to give to Sierra Leone.

Clare Short: We intend maintaining a development programme of around £40 million annually over the next few years. Our primary aims are to help the Government restore and maintain security throughout the country, improve standards of governance, help ensure better management of the country's diamond resources, and combat the endemic corruption that has put a brake on the country's developmental progress.

Middle East

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the impact of recent Israeli military actions on British and EU-funded development projects in the west bank and Gaza.

Clare Short: The recent escalation of the conflict has resulted in the destruction of infrastructure, damage to private property and government buildings. This includes British and other European-funded development projects. It has clearly had a dramatic effect on the Palestinian people—further endangering livelihoods, disrupting the delivery of basic services, and undermining the institutions of government. But the high morale and dedication on the part of project staff and community partners has often enabled good progress to continue in the most adverse conditions.
	Together with our EU partners we have raised with the Israeli authorities grave concern about the damage to EU and other donor-funded projects and demanded that this practice stop. The EU has reserved the right to demand compensation.

Criminal Offences

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many criminal offences have been (a) created and (b) abolished by her Department since 1997.

Clare Short: No legislation introduced by the Department for International Development since 1997 has contained criminal law provisions.

Southern Africa

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid is being provided to each country in southern Africa this year (a) through her Department's bilateral aid budget and (b) via the EU aid budget.

Clare Short: DFID plans to spend £40 million this year through its bilateral programme for the five countries of the Southern African Customs Union (Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland). This will be spent partly on activities in individual countries, and partly on regional activities covering several countries.
	The EU does not publish expected annual disbursement figures for the current year. In 2001, the EU spent 5 million euro in Botswana, 12 million euro in Lesotho, 11 million euro in Namibia, 112 million euro in South Africa and 7 million euro in Swaziland. The UK contributes 19 per cent. of the EU's spending in South Africa (which is from the EU budget), and 12.7 per cent. of the EU spending in the other four countries (which is from the European Development Fund).

Southern Africa

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what actions her Department is taking to prevent the occurrence of famine in southern Africa this year.

Clare Short: We have provided £13 million for feeding programmes in Malawi and Zimbabwe. We are in contact with the World Food Programme who, once their assessments in the countries affected are completed, will confirm regional needs in early June.

Southern Africa

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the possibility of famine in southern Africa this year.

Clare Short: We have been monitoring food shortages in the region since September 2001. Six countries in southern Africa will not produce sufficient maize to meet their requirements this year. Localised food shortages are likely to occur as household stocks run out.

Montserrat

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent representations her Department has received on the siting of an airport for Montserrat.

Clare Short: Following an assessment of the options, the Government of Montserrat has selected Gerald's Park as the site for a new airport. Although some reservations about this decision have been raised by a local non- governmental group, detailed design work is proceeding. I shall be writing to the hon. Member about this shortly, in response to his letter of 28 April.

Palestine

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what recent discussions she has had with the Israeli Government regarding the destination of UK funds provided to the Palestinian Authority;
	(2)  whether her Department has evidence that (a) EU aid and (b) UK aid has reached (i) the Fatah movement and (ii) the al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade; and if she will establish an investigation into allegations relating to the diversion of aid to those organisations;
	(3)  what assessment she has made of reports that EU aid to the Palestinian Authority has been misappropriated for terrorism;
	(4)  what recent discussions she has had with Commissioner Patten regarding the destination of EU aid to the Palestinian Authority.

Clare Short: The allegations made by the Israeli Government about the misuse of European development funds relate to budgetary support provided through the European Commission (EC). Commissioner Patten wrote to EU Foreign Ministers on 7 May stressing that to date the EC has had no evidence corroborating the allegations that EU moneys have been misused to finance terrorist activities; or for anything other than their original purpose. The EC attach strict conditionality to the direct budgetary assistance provided to the Palestinian Authority (PA). The conditions mainly reinforce the need for transparency on the PA's public finances, strengthening the prudent management of the budget, and encouraging progress on overall financial and administrative reform. We are satisfied that the EC, with the assistance of the IMF, is ensuring the conditions are met.

Child Soldiers

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what organisations her Department supports which are working for the disarmament, demobilisation and rehabilitation of child soldiers.

Clare Short: We are working with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence to prevent and manage conflict through the Africa and Global Conflict Prevention Pools. We are contributing £3 million from the Global Conflict Prevention Pool to UNICEF over a three-year period to build its capacity to implement programmes which will prevent children becoming involved in, or otherwise affected by, armed conflict, including the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration of child soldiers. This is part of a broader capacity building programme designed to strengthen UNICEF's programming in crises and conflicts.
	£3 million is also being contributed from the Global Conflict Prevention Pool to the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Children to support his advocacy and research work to reduce the impact of conflict on children, including the use of child soldiers by state and non-state actors alike. The work of these two institutions spans a wide range of countries in Africa, Asia and Europe.
	We are also supporting the Quakers Office in New York to carry out a research programme into the experiences of girl soldiers, a little-acknowledged and researched aspect of child-soldiering, including disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration issues.
	DFID collaborated with the Government of Sierra Leone, UNICEF and other partners in the DDR programme in Sierra Leone, which resulted in the demobilisation of 6,485 child soldiers. DFID continues to support local communities involved in the reintegration of ex-combatants, many of whom were recruited as children.
	Through its regional offices, DFID has also supported Save the Children UK in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and in Sudan to help demobilise and reintegrate child soldiers. Similarly, in Rwanda DFID has supported UNICEF to help reintegrate child soldiers into communities.
	On 12 April, the UK pledged £25 million contribution towards the World bank Multi-Country Demobilisation and Reintegration Programme for the Great Lakes region. This programme is aimed at the disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration of some 350,000 soldiers and militia in the region. It is envisaged that part of this $500 million programme over five years will include the demobilisation and reintegration of child soldiers.
	The UK was among the first 60 states to ratify the statute of the International Criminal Court, which will come into force in July 2002. This statute makes it a war crime to recruit or use children under 15 in armed conflict.

Burma

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what actions she is taking to promote democracy in Burma following the release of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Clare Short: The UK has played a leading role in pressing for change in Burma. My Department continues to work closely with the FCO in support of efforts to bring about national reconciliation and facilitate political progress. The apparent unconditional release of Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest is a welcome step forward but much more remains to be achieved. We will continue to do everything in our power to facilitate and support national reconciliation, human rights, the restoration of democracy, and thereby the conditions for eventual re-engagement with the international community.

Palestinian Refugee Camps

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what Palestinian refugee camps in (a) Lebanon and (b) Syria are (i) run directly by her Department, (ii) run by organisations with DFID involvement and (iii) run by UK non-governmental organisations; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what Palestinian refugee camps in (a) Lebanon and (b) Syria are (i) directly funded by her Department, (ii) funded by projects co-funded by her Department and (iii) funded by UK non-governmental organisations; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: The UK Government do not run or fund Palestinian refugee camps. This is the responsibility of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), the local authorities, and the camp communities. We provide voluntary contributions to UNRWA, the camps' main services provider, and have funded UK NGOs engaged in camp community development projects.

Departmental Staff (Scotland)

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many and what percentage of (a) civil service, (b) executive agencies and (c) non-departmental public body jobs under the remit of her Department are located in Scotland; and how many of each have been relocated to Scotland since May 1997.

Clare Short: DFID civil service staff are located in London, East Kilbride and, increasingly, overseas. The number of posts currently located in Scotland is 530, which represents just over 33 per cent. of the total.
	We do not hold detailed records of civil service jobs relocated to Scotland between 1997 and 2002 but the information we do hold indicates that staff numbers in East Kilbride increased by around 70 in that period.
	No posts within the three non-departmental public bodies under the remit of the Department have been relocated to Scotland.

Millennium Development Goals

Tony Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action she plans to take at the Development Council Meeting at the end of May to promote the pursuit of the millennium development goals for education.

Clare Short: On 30 May EU Development Ministers are expected to approve a Council resolution on education and training in the context of poverty reduction in developing countries. This recognises that education, especially of girls and women, is central for poverty reduction and sustainable development, and the community and member states undertake to adjust their policies and allocation of resources to reflect this.
	Reiterating the Council's strong commitment to the education millennium development goals and to the Dakar framework for action on education for all (EFA), the resolution indicates that universal and free primary education should be the first priority of the community and member states' development cooperation strategy for education. The main responsibility for meeting these goals lies with developing country Governments. But the Commission and member states will strongly support their efforts, undertaking to increase the volume and improve the delivery of assistance for primary education and to cooperate more effectively with other international organisations, like UNESCO and the World bank.
	The UK has been actively involved in the drafting of this resolution and will strongly support, and closely monitor, its implementation.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Correspondence

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will indicate the whereabouts of the Home Office file on a constituent of the hon. Member for Vauxhall (Home Office reference: E105598); and when that constituent's case will be resolved.

Angela Eagle: The original papers relating to this file have been mislaid and despite a number of searches have not yet been found. Searches for the file are continuing. In view of this, further information has been requested separately and, once received, the case will be considered as a priority.

Correspondence

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will answer the letters from the hon. Member for Ashford of 16 January and 21 March, concerning the site of the former Aldington prisons.

Angela Eagle: A reply to the hon. Member was dispatched on 7 May 2002.

Police

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans to review legislation governing police powers and procedures.

David Blunkett: I am initiating a review of the provisions of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) and the Codes of Practice issued under it. The review will be carried out jointly by the Home Office and the Cabinet Office. PACE and its Codes are vital parts of the framework providing the police with the powers they need to combat crime. I am determined, however, that this should be taken as an opportunity to reduce the administrative burdens on the police, not allow them to be tied in procedural knots which prevent them bringing criminals to justice. I want to ensure that after nearly 20 years PACE is still a useful tool supporting the police and, if changes are needed, I will have no hesitation in making them.

Refugees

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what change to international conventions and treaties on refugees it is his policy to promote; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: In June 2000, my right hon. Friend Jack Straw, the then Home Secretary, called for the international community to examine how better the 1951 Geneva Convention could be operated to deal more effectively with issues caused by large mixed flows of migrants. Later that year, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) launched a series of global consultations on the legal framework, operation and gaps in the 1951 convention. The consultations will conclude this year. I reaffirmed, on 12 December 2001, the United Kingdom Government's commitment to the 1951 Geneva Convention and its 1967 Protocol at a commemorative meeting to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its signing.
	At European Union (EU) level the Treaty of Amsterdam requires that a community instrument must replace the Dublin Convention by May 2004. The commission has presented a draft proposal for a Council regulation establishing the criteria and mechanisms for determining the member state responsible for examination of asylum applications made within the EU. The Government's view of this draft regulation can be found in the Home Office Explanatory Memorandum dated 23 October, deposited in the Library.

Mobile Telephones

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, for 1997–98 and for each subsequent financial year, the amount spent (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) abroad by (i) his Department, (ii) its agencies and (iii) its non-departmental public bodies on (1) providing mobile telephone equipment, including handsets and other associated equipment, (2) for telephone calls made using such equipment and (3) telephone calls made using privately owned mobile telephones but subsequently reclaimed by (x) ministers and (y) staff.

Angela Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 7 May 2002, Official Report, column 126W.

National Insurance Costs

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his estimate is of the cost in the next 12 months of the budget changes to employers' national insurance contributions to (a) his Department, (b) agencies of his Department, (c) local government carrying out functions within the responsibility of his Department, (d) the Police and (e) the Prison Service.

Angela Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Andrew Smith), on 29 April 2002, Official Report, column 544W.
	It is estimated that the changes to employers' national insurance contributions announced in the Budget will increase pay costs on average by 0.7 per cent. next year.

Family Visitor Appeals

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to publish the report of the inter-departmental review of family visitor appeals.

Angela Eagle: Following the announcement of the abolition of the fee by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary (Mr. Blunkett) on 24 April 2002, the report is now being finalised.

Damilola Taylor

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the actions that he plans to take as a consequence of the Damilola Taylor case.

Keith Bradley: First of all I would like to express my heartfelt sympathy for the Taylor family who still have many questions left unanswered despite an intensive police investigation and a lengthy trial.
	As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister (Mr. Blair) has said there should be no rush to judgment. This was always going to be a difficult case.
	My right hon. and noble Friend the Attorney-General (Lord Goldsmith) has asked the Director of Public Prosecutions to look into the handling of the case, to consider whether there are implications for the conduct of future cases and to make recommendations. Her Majesty's Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate will be involved in the review. In particular, the Director has been asked to examine whether the time has come to introduce a system where, before trial, interviews of certain key witnesses are conducted by the prosecutor in a limited category of cases. The review will report by mid-summer.
	We are already taking steps to help children and other vulnerable or intimidated witnesses give their best evidence.
	In June 1998 the Government published "Speaking up for Justice", a report of an interdepartmental working group on the treatment of vulnerable or intimidated witnesses in the Criminal Justice system. It proposed a coherent and integrated scheme to provide appropriate support and assistance for vulnerable or intimidated witnesses. Key recommendations include a range of special measures available for use at the trial including:
	screens around the witness box;
	clearing the court, in certain circumstances, so that evidence can be given in private;
	removal of wigs and gowns;
	video recorded statements to replace the evidence-in-chief;
	video recorded pre-trial cross-examination;
	live television links;
	assistance with communication if necessary, including the use of an intermediary.
	The measures requiring legislation were included in Part II of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999.
	Implementation of the special measures is imminent and they will be an improvement on the current arrangements. In January I announced a phased implementation programme starting on 24 July this year. In the Crown court all the special measures will be implemented for vulnerable witnesses, with the exception of intermediaries and pre-trial cross-examination which will be subject to pilot projects. The same measures, with the added exception of video-recorded statements, will be implemented at the same time for intimidated witnesses.
	All other measures will be introduced in 2003–04 for all qualifying witnesses.
	In magistrates courts implementation of special measures in July 2002 will be restricted to television links and video recorded evidence for child witnesses in cases involving sexual offences, violence (including threats) and cruelty. This will provide protection for children in cases involving assaults, muggings and domestic violence. It will also bring the adult magistrates courts into line with the current provision in the Youth court. Most of the measures will be extended to magistrates courts by 2003–04 (after their evaluation in the Crown court) to bring them in line with the Crown court.
	Over the next year or two we will also be starting pilot projects on video-recorded pre-trial cross-examination and the use of intermediaries.
	A whole range of guidance and training materials for the criminal justice agencies have been published including:
	"Achieving Best Evidence", which is comprehensive guidance on preparing for and conducting interviews with vulnerable or intimidated witnesses (both adults and children). It will replace the "Memorandum of Good Practice in Video Recorded Interviews With Child Witnesses For Criminal Proceedings" from 24 May 2002;
	A practice guide on early special measures meeting between the police and Crown Prosecution Service and meetings between the Crown Prosecution Service and vulnerable and intimidated witnesses. From July, prosecutors will meet vulnerable witnesses to discuss special measures that can be taken in connection with their giving evidence.
	We are working closely with a full range of agencies in the criminal justice system and voluntary sector in implementing these measures. Arrangements are already in place to evaluate the special measures once they have had a chance to bed down. We will also be looking closely at the findings of the inquiries being conducted by the Crown Prosecution Service and the Metropolitan police to see if there are any lessons to be learned for the measures needed to enable children and other vulnerable or intimidated witnesses to give their best evidence.
	On the wider front, Sir Robin Auld's Review of the Criminal Courts was published in October last year which resulted in a public consultation. The report contains 328 recommendations and makes wide proposals for reforming the courts and their proceedings. The Government is looking at the report and the results of the consultation carefully as well as other ideas for modernising the criminal justice system. We will publish a White Paper setting out our proposals for the way forward shortly.

Christopher Edwards

Alan Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  if he will establish a public inquiry into the death of Christopher Edwards at Chelmsford Prison;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the decision by the European Court of Human Rights in the case of the homicide of Christopher Edwards at Chelmsford Prison.

Beverley Hughes: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave about the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights to my hon. Friend for Hull, North (Mr. McNamara) on 25 April 2002, Official Report, column 438W.
	I see no grounds for a new inquiry. The Court recognised the changes that have taken place since
	Mr. Edward's death and found no grounds to order further investigation.

Policing Costs (Commonwealth Games)

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will announce his decision on the funding of policing costs which will be incurred by Greater Manchester police in connection with the Commonwealth Games.

John Denham: holding answer 9 May 2002
	I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 14 May 2002, Official Report, column 603W.

Prisoners (Suicide Risks)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the last review was undertaken of procedures to be followed in prisons, for inmates considered as possible suicide risks; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: A three-year strategy was launched in February 2001 following the Prison Service's review "Caring for the Suicidal in Custody", which recommended a radical move from awareness to prevention, including a commitment to reduce self-inflicted deaths in prison. The strategy embraces targeted, preventative measures within a holistic approach that seeks a supportive prison culture based on good prisoner/staff relationships; a physically safe environment with reduced opportunities for self-harm; and strong multi-disciplinary partnerships within prisons, with the courts, police and other criminal justice partners and with voluntary agencies particularly the Samaritans. Related work is tackling bullying and violence.
	The strategy focuses additional resources where the risks are highest such as the busy local prisons. Included in the strategy is a "care of prisoners at risk" project which is reviewing procedures and processes for identifying and supporting prisoners at enhanced risk. New procedures are being developed and will be trailed later this year.

Life Sentence Tariffs

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the range is of life sentence tariffs; and what the average tariff for (a) women and (b) male prisoners convicted of murder is.

Beverley Hughes: Tariffs for murderers range in length from four years to whole life. Excluding whole life tariffs, the average length of tariffs set for women currently serving mandatory sentences for murder is 13 years one month, and for men 14 years two months.

Lost Property

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the laws governing the ownership of lost property; and if he will review them.

Keith Bradley: Civil law governs questions of ownership of property, and that it is a matter for my right hon. and noble Friend the Lord Chancellor. The criminal courts consider questions of ownership on the facts of each case, in the light of the applicable law. The Government have no plans to review this area of the law.

Released Prisoners

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assistance is provided for (a) prisoners being released after serving their sentence and (b) prisoners who are released as a result of their conviction being overturned.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 13 May 2002
	While there is no statutory obligation on the probation service to provide support on release to offenders who complete their sentences in prison, support can be provided to an offender seeking help, if local resources allow. The current position is the same in respect of prisoners released after a successful appeal against conviction. However, I am currently considering proposals for an advice service specifically for those who have successfully appealed against conviction and will be making an announcement shortly.

Private Prisons

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the privately run prisons in England and Wales.

Beverley Hughes: There are nine privately managed prisons in England and Wales: Altcourse prison, Ashfield young offender institution, Doncaster prison and young offender institution, Dovegate prison, Forest Bank prison and young offender institution, Lowdham Grange prison, Parc prison and young offender institution, Rye Hill prison and Wolds prison.

Conviction Statistics

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many women in prison in the United Kingdom are convicted of (a) murder and (b) manslaughter of male partners and former partners;
	(2)  how many men in United Kingdom prisons have been convicted of (a) murder and (b) manslaughter of female partners and former partners.

Beverley Hughes: No data are held centrally on whether people in prisons in England and Wales were related in any way to the victim or victims of their crime.
	Provisional information shows that at the latest available date (31 March 2002) there were 3,533 males and 138 females in prisons in England and Wales that had been convicted of murder, and 583 males and 42 females that had been convicted of manslaughter.
	Chapter Four of "Criminal Statistics England and Wales" contains further information on homicides and the relationship between the victim and the main suspect of the crime. Extracts of the 2000 edition are available at the website address: http://www.archive.official- documents.co.uk/document/cm53/5312/crimestats.pdf.
	Information about prisoners in Scotland and Northern Ireland should be sought from the Scottish Executive (Helen Liddell) and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland respectively.

Animal Testing

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to reduce the number of safety tests where animal testing is required by law.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 14 May 2002
	The Home Office neither sponsors safety tests involving the use of animals, nor does it set any requirements for data produced by any such procedures. Examples of specific legislative requirements under which procedures on animals may be carried out include the Medicines Act 1968, the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations, the Control of Pesticides Regulations, European Union Pesticides Directives, and the Food Safety Act. These requirements are matters for the relevant sponsoring Department.
	Where testing using animals is required, we ensure that the 3Rs are rigorously applied (the use of alternatives which replace animal use entirely, reduce the numbers of animals used, or refine the procedures to minimise suffering). In deciding whether to grant a licence for any regulated procedure, the 1986 Act also requires that the likely benefits of the programme are weighed against the likely adverse effects on the animals concerned (the cost/benefit assessment). We must also be satisfied that the procedures are likely to achieve the stated objectives.
	In addition, in August 2000, we announced an interdepartmental concordat on data sharing to enable Government Departments to reduce the duplication of tests on animals. The concordat commits United Kingdom regulatory authorities to help resolve legal and other obstacles and encourage data sharing between clients and thereby reduce animal tests. Progress in implementing the concordat is currently being reviewed.

Animal Testing

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the extent to which animal tests provide a reliable model on which to estimate likely reactions in humans.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 14 May 2002
	The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 requires that regulated procedures can only be authorised and performed if there are no scientifically suitable alternatives that replace animal use, reduce the number animals needed, or refine the procedures used to minimise suffering. The likely benefits to humans, other animals or the environment must be weighed against the likely welfare costs to the animals involved.
	Although it has been suggested that information derived from procedures on animals cannot be extended to humans, these views do not reflect the consensus in the wider scientific community. This recognises that while there are physiological or bio-chemical differences between species, there are greater similarities. Species differences are taken into account within the design of research projects and the results of testing a new drug, for example, on animals can be used to predict the effect on humans.
	Animal procedures are, in any case, only one element of the tests carried out to assess the efficacy and safety of products. Before animals are used, they will also have been subjected to a variety of other screening processes including the use of computers, cell cultures and other non-animal tests. Clinical trials in humans also play an important part. It is not justified, therefore, to single out animal experiments for criticism when unexpected results are seen in full-scale clinical use. The simple fact is that biological science is not exact. However, until other suitable alternatives are developed, animal tests will continue to play an important part in minimising the adverse effects to humans caused by unexpected reactions during clinical trials and use.

Yarl's Wood

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department further to his statement of 25 February 2002, Official Report, column 442 on the Yarl's Wood fire, if he will list the different expert sources that informed his decision not to fit sprinklers.

Angela Eagle: The Minister responsible took advice not only internally but also from the local fire service and from our contractors.

Asylum Seekers

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has collated on asylum seekers leaving the premises allocated to them under the National Asylum Support Service and moving to another area without housing support from NASS.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 13 May 2002
	Information is not currently available on asylum seekers who leave accommodation allocated to them by the National Asylum Support Service.

Asylum Seekers

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the contract to carry out forced removals of asylum seekers whose applications have been refused.

Angela Eagle: Enforcement action is employed in cases where the subject is unwilling to comply with removal of their own volition. This includes the use of detention.
	Where necessary, private security companies are employed to provide escort services. This ensures the safety and well being of the individual who is being removed, as well as that of fellow passengers.
	The same carrier is required, under the Immigration Act 1971, to remove failed asylum seekers for whom there is evidence of inbound carriage. Where there is no evidence of inbound carriage, removal will take place at public expense.
	The Immigration Service also uses charter flights, for which the most competitive tender is sought.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Coroners (Maternity Leave)

Tony Colman: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the entitlement of coroners to maternity leave.

Beverley Hughes: I have been asked to reply.
	As office holders, coroners have no entitlement to the statutory provisions for maternity leave, unless they are also employees. However, it is open to any coroner to negotiate contractual terms with the local authority who pays their salary, including in relation to maternity leave. The Department of Trade and Industry is currently undertaking a review of employment status in relation to statutory employment rights, and this is looking at certain groups excluded from employment rights legislation, including officeholders.

Rural Awareness

Andrew Turner: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when her Department will establish rural targets and monitoring as part of overall rural proofing measures as set out in the Countryside Agency's report, "Rural Proofing in 2001–02".

Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 9 May 2002, Official Report, columns 274 and 275W.

Rural Awareness

Andrew Turner: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when her Department will introduce measures to raise rural awareness through staff (a) training, (b) development and (c) secondments as part of overall rural proofing measures set out in the Countryside Agency's report Rural Proofing in 2001–02.

Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 9 May 2002, Official Report, column 274W.

Consultation Document (Making Decisions)

Brian Iddon: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will list those organisations and individuals who have been sent copies of the consultation document "Making Decisions: Helping People who have Difficulty Deciding for Themselves".

Rosie Winterton: The consultation document "Making Decisions: Helping People who have Difficulty Deciding for Themselves" has been sent to the organisations listed who have an interest in all aspects of mental incapacity. Many private individuals have also received copies on request and the document is available on our website.
	List of Organisations
	Mencap
	Mind
	The Alzheimer's Society
	Action on Elder Abuse
	Age Concern
	Age Concern Cymru
	Help the Aged
	Values into Action
	People First
	British Medical Association
	General Medical Council
	Royal College of Nursing
	The Law Society
	The Bar Council
	Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners
	Solicitors for the Elderly
	Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists
	Royal College of Psychiatrists
	National Association of Citizen's Advice Bureaux
	The Local Government Association
	The Voluntary Euthanasia Society
	The Association of Directors of Social Services
	The Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities
	Citizen Advocacy Information and Training
	Christian Action Research and Education (CARE)
	The Pro-Life Alliance
	Alert
	Carers UK
	The Abbeyfield Society
	Action for Victims of Medical Accidents
	Advice Services Alliance
	Advocacy Partners
	Age-Link
	The Ann Craft Trust
	Association for Residential Care
	Association of Crossroads Care Attendant Schemes
	British Association for Service to the Elderly
	British Council of Organisations of Disabled People
	British Geriatrics Society
	British Pensioners and Trade Unions Action Association
	British Society of Dentistry for the Handicapped
	Careline
	Centre for Policy on Ageing
	Consumers' Association
	Contact the Elderly
	Continuing Care at Home Association
	Counsel and Care
	Mental After Care Association
	Mental Health Media
	Legal Action Group
	Disabilities Alliance Educational and Research Association
	Disability Awareness in Action
	Disability Law Service
	Research into Ageing
	The National Autistic Society
	Social Care Association
	The Society for the Autistically Handicapped
	United Kingdom Homecare Association
	VOICE UK
	National Association for Mental After-Care in Registered Care
	National Benevolent Fund for the Aged
	National Care Homes Association
	National Council for Hospice and Special Palliative Care
	National Development Team for People with Learning Disabilities
	National Pensioners Convention Council
	National Schizophrenia Fellowship
	National Society for Mentally Handicapped People in Residential Care
	Nuffield Foundation
	Voluntary Organisations Disability Group
	Down's Heart Group
	Down's Syndrome Association
	Christian Council on Ageing
	Pensioners' Voice
	Relatives Association
	Research Institute for Consumer Affairs
	Dementia Care Trust
	Home from Hospital
	Headway National Head Injuries Association Ltd.
	Long-Term Medical Conditions Alliance
	Forum of Chairmen of Independent Hospices
	Hospice Information Service
	Law Centres Federation
	RESPOND
	Retirement Trust
	United Response
	Manic Depression Fellowship
	SANE
	Sign—Campaigning for Services in Mental Health and Deafness
	Patients Association
	Stroke Association
	Patient Concern
	Better Government for Older People Network
	The Joseph Rowntree Foundation
	British Association of Brain Injury Case Managers
	Ex-Services Mental Welfare Society
	Rehab Without Walls
	Relatives and Residents Association
	RESCARE
	SCOPE
	Prince's Royal Trust for Carers
	Terence Higgins Trust
	London Lighthouse
	Body Positive
	Mary Ward Legal Advice Centre
	Caring Matters
	Tizard Centre
	Medical Defence Union
	Medico-Legal Society
	Society for Advanced Legal Studies
	Society of Clinical Psychiatrists
	President of the Family Division
	Royal College of GPs
	Royal College of Surgeons
	Association of Wardens of Sheltered Housing
	Association of Home Care Agencies.

Consultation Document (Making Decisions)

Brian Iddon: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assistance she received from the Voluntary Euthanasia Society prior to publication of the consultation document, "Making Decisions: Helping People who have Difficulty Deciding for Themselves".

Rosie Winterton: The consultation document, "Making Decisions: Helping People who have Difficulty Deciding for Themselves" seeks views on a series of leaflets which offer practical guidance and set out the current legal position with regard to decision-making on behalf of mentally incapacitated adults. As part of the compilation of this guidance, the Voluntary Euthanasia Society commented on factual information that was to be provided on advance directives.

Jury Service (Exemptions)

Peter Lilley: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many people summoned for jury trial last year were excused on the basis of the statutory exemption of their profession.

Michael Wills: During the 2001 calendar year, 579,157 summonses were issued by the Jury Central Summoning Bureau. 175,644 (30.3 per cent. of those summoned) people were excused from jury service, of which 32,321 (5.6 per cent. of those summoned) were excused as of right.
	We do not collect statistics of the individual reasons why people are excused by right. We have however taken a three week sample in eight courts to obtain an estimate of the number of excusals. The sample showed that 1.3 per cent. of those summoned were excused on the grounds of their profession. If this figure is accurate then nationally this would equate to under 7,500 of the 579,157 summoned.

Ministerial Papers

Brian Cotter: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department in what circumstances the 10-year rule applies with regard to the pulping of ministerial papers; how long the rule has been in existence; and who is responsible for determining which material is to be destroyed.

Rosie Winterton: I have no knowledge of any 10-year rule concerning the pulping of ministerial papers. Ministers' official papers are public records and, in common with all public records, are reviewed for disposal or preservation in line with the requirements of the Public Records Act 1958 and the 'thirty-year rule'. The Public Record Office has recently published guidance entitled 'Management of Private Office Papers', which is available on the Public Record Office website at http://www.pro.gov.uk/recordsmanagement/standards/ privateoffice.htm.

Crown Courts

David Lidington: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what options are being considered by the Courts Service for improving the quality of Crown court accommodation and for the provision of new Crown court buildings in Buckinghamshire.

Michael Wills: The Court Service is constantly seeking to improve Crown Court accommodation to meet modern standards and changing requirements. Various options are being considered for replacing the current Crown Court accommodation in Buckinghamshire. We have concluded that the existing accommodation cannot be refurbished to meet modern standards. The options, including the possibility of entering into a Private Developer Scheme, need to be developed further and the appropriate funding secured.

Crown Courts

David Lidington: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans his Department has for the future of the Crown Court buildings in Aylesbury.

Michael Wills: The Court Service is currently seeking to renew the leases under which it occupies the Crown Court accommodation in Aylesbury for terms expiring in March 2007. Options are being considered as to how the longer term accommodation needs in Buckinghamshire can best be met.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Terrorist Organisations

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which organisations have claimed responsibility for terrorist or criminal acts in Northern Ireland since Good Friday 1998; and for which acts.

Jane Kennedy: We have made inquiries with the police service of Northern Ireland concerning the issue raised and they have advised that it will take some time for them to investigate the matter. I will reply to the hon. Member in due course.

Paramilitary Beatings

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many paramilitary beatings were carried out between 31 March and 30 April by (a) Loyalists, (b) Republicans and (c) others.

Jane Kennedy: The information is as follows:
	
		Casualties as a result of paramilitary-style attacks
		
			  31 March 1–30 April 
		
		
			 Attributed to Loyalists   
			 Assaults 1 7 
			 Shootings — 4 
			 Attributed to Republicans   
			 Assaults — 3 
			 Shootings — 4 
		
	
	Note:
	2002 statistics are provisional and may be subject to minor adjustment at a later date.

Police Service of Northern Ireland

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what efforts are being made to encourage more women and members of ethnic communities, with particular reference to the Chinese community, to join the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Jane Kennedy: Consensia have taken particular account of the need to attract more women and members of ethnic communities in both the design and publication of advertisements for the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). Familiarisation days, consisting of presentations from various specialisms within the Police Service, have also been held for both females and the Chinese community in the course of marketing the PSNI as a worthwhile career.
	Under section 48 of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000, the Policing Board are required to make an action plan for monitoring the number of women in the service, and for increasing their numbers if they are under- represented.
	In addition, part-time working arrangements have been introduced to encourage more women to consider a career in the Police Service.

PRIME MINISTER

Ms C. Booth

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the role he has asked Ms C. Booth QC to play in connection with Government policy formulation;
	(2)  if he will list the official functions which he has asked Ms C. Booth QC to undertake since 1 January 2000;
	(3)  if he will make a statement on the public accountability of Ms C. Booth QC in respect of activities she undertakes which contribute to the work of Government;
	(4)  whether Lord Birt was present at the recent transport seminar chaired by Ms C. Booth QC;
	(5)  if he will list those who attended the recent seminar on transport at No. 10 Downing Street chaired by Ms C. Booth QC;
	(6)  if he will make it his policy that seminars held at No. 10 Downing Street will henceforth be chaired by elected Ministers;
	(7)  if he will make a statement on the outcome of the recent transport seminar at 10 Downing Street chaired by Ms C. Booth QC;
	(8)  if he will list the dates since 1 May 1997 on which Ms C. Booth QC has chaired seminars at 10 Downing Street listing in each case (a) the subject under discussion and (b) which Ministers attended.

Tony Blair: Mrs. Blair does not participate in the work of the Government and therefore the issue of accountability does not arise. She has not chaired a policy-making seminar at No. 10.
	The nature of the lectures Mrs. Blair has attended at No. 10 was made clear in the press notice issued by my office of 5 January 1999: "The Prime Minister and Mrs. Blair will launch a debate on Britain in the new millennium by hosting a series of lectures by leading figures to highlight some of the challenges we will face in the next century. The 1999 millennium lectures will cover education, work, leisure, wealth creation, science, arts and culture and what it means to be British in the 21st century". The lectures are not part of the policy-making process and there are no formal outcomes. Mrs. Blair has invited questions from guests when I have been unable to remain for the duration of the lecture, and hosted the drinks reception after the lecture. She plays no part in the discussions.
	Mrs. Blair has attended the following lectures:
	27 January 1999—Professor Jonathan Gershuny on work and leisure.
	11 March 1999—Professor Susan Greenfield on science.
	26 May 1999—David Potter on wealth creation and the knowledge economy.
	15 July 1999—Sir Geoff Hampton on education.
	13 October 1999—Derrick Anderson on art and culture.
	8 December 1999—Professor Linda Colley on Britishness.
	6 March 2000—Sue Page on health.
	4 December 2000—Tessa Tennant on the environment.
	17 December 2001—K. Y. Amoako on Africa.
	11 February 2002—Jeremy Acklam on transport.
	13 May 2002—Martin Narey on the criminal justice system.
	It is not my practice to list individual names of guests invited to receptions and events at 10 Downing Street. People who attended were from Government and a wide range of outside organisations. Representatives from the media have been invited and have attended the series of lectures. Lord Birt did not attend the transport seminar.
	For details of official and charity receptions hosted by Mrs. Blair and me, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 28 February 2002, Official Report, column 1444–48W.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Social Exclusion (Transport)

Bill Rammell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress the Social Exclusion Unit has made in its project on transport and social exclusion.

John Prescott: The Social Exclusion Unit will publish interim findings from its transport and social exclusion project, 'Making the Connections—Transport and Social Exclusion: Interim Findings' on its website (www.socialexclusionunit.gov.uk) on Thursday. Copies will be placed in both Libraries of the House in due course.

Child Care

David Willetts: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 24 April 2002 to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint), Official Report, columns 315–16, on the National Child Care Strategy, if he will break down the total expenditure on the new tax credit system into figures showing the cost of each individual credit.

Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
	The costs of the new tax credit system are shown in Table A.1 on page 154 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report April 2002. It is not possible to split these costs between the working tax credit and the child tax credit.

Ministerial Training

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much has been spent by his Department on training in leadership skills for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years.

Christopher Leslie: Information concerning specific types of training is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, total training expenditure can be broken down as follows:
	
		£000 
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 
		
		
			 Core Cabinet Office 1,068 1,192 1,223 1,326 
			 Central Office of Information 298 195 237 441(10) 
			 Centre for Management and Policy Studies 70 116 118 137 
		
	
	(10) This includes training partly funded by the Civil Service Modernisation Fund.

Regional Government

Graham Brady: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral statement of 9 May 2002, what proportion of the £730 million annual budget for a regional assembly in the north-west would be constituted of funds at present spent by (a) local government and (b) central Government Departments.

Barbara Roche: All of the £730 million estimated annual budget for a regional assembly in the north-west will be made up of funds currently allocated by central Government Departments, their agencies and public bodies. Of this total my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions allocates £130 million to local authorities, for housing capital investment to improve their own housing stock, to support new build by housing associations and to renew private stock. Should an elected assembly be established in the north-west, it would be responsible for providing resources to local authorities in the north-west for these purposes.

Consultation Exercises

Lynne Jones: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues about the conduct of consultation exercises; and if he will make a statement about conformity with Criterion 6 Cabinet Office Guidelines.

Christopher Leslie: No formal discussions have taken place with ministerial colleagues on the general conduct of consultation exercises. The conduct of such exercises is the responsibility of each Government Department and its agencies. Compliance with the Code of Practice on Written Consultation, including conformity with criterion 6 of the Code, also rests with each Department.

Parliamentary Branch

Alan Beith: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  if he will list the responsibilities of the Cabinet Office Parliamentary Branch;
	(2)  if he will list the Cabinet Office Parliamentary Branch's (a) planned and (b) outturn budgets for electronic hardware and software for each financial year since 1997–98 to the last year for which budgets have been set;
	(3)  for each year since 1997 to the latest year for which the information is available, (a) how many staff were working in the Cabinet Office Parliamentary Branch and (b) what the total cost of the operation of the Cabinet Office Parliamentary Branch was.

John Prescott: The Cabinet Office Parliamentary Branch supports all Ministers within the Cabinet Office, as well as the Lord Privy Seal, in all their dealings with Parliament.
	A total of £9,613.85 including VAT was spent on a database for Cabinet Office parliamentary questions in December 2000. The branch is also supported by the Cabinet Office in its usual contract for IT equipment. There are no plans for any further expenditure on IT hardware.
	Expenditure for the Parliamentary Branch is as follows:
	
		
			 Year Expenditure (£000) Post Numbers 
		
		
			 1997–98 106 4 
			 1998–99 142 5 
			 1999–2000 147 5 
			 2000–01 (11)162 5 
			 2001–02 (11)171 6 
		
	
	(11) From 2000 the budget for Parliamentary Branch was incorporated into the Parliamentary and Ministerial Support Services therefore the specific information requested on the Parliamentary Branch could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Therefore the costs listed above are for Parliamentary Branch staffing only.

Internet Access

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many households, broken down by (a) class, (b) age and (c) region, have a PC; and what figures he has collated on other major European countries in terms of rates of household and work place access to the internet.

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Dr. Ashok Kumar, dated 15 May 2002
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary questions regarding information on British household computer ownership broken down by (a) social class, (b) age and (c) region, and rates of household and workplace access to the Internet in major European countries. (55873)
	The tables below show the most recently available percentages of households in Great Britain with a home computer broken down by social class of head of household (table 1), age of head of household (table 2) and region and country of Great Britain (table 3). The latest headline estimate is that 49 per cent. of households in the UK had a home computer in the quarter October to December 2001. A more detailed analysis has to be based on a full sample over a 12-month period.
	
		Table 1: Percentage of households in Great Britain with a home computer by social class of head of household; April 2000 to March 2001
		
			 Social class of head of household Percentage 
		
		
			 Professional etc. 80 
			 Managerial and technical 70 
			 Skilled non-manual 55 
			 Skilled manual 47 
			 Partly skilled occupations 39 
			 Unskilled occupations 24 
			 All households 45 
		
	
	Source:
	Family Expenditure Survey, 2000–01
	
		Table 2: Percentage of households in Great Britain with a home computer by age of head of household; April 2000 to March 2001
		
			 Age of head of household (years) Percentage 
		
		
			 Under 30 44 
			 30 and under 50 61 
			 50 and under 65 48 
			 65 and under 75 23 
			 75 or over 7 
			 All households 45 
		
	
	Source:
	Family Expenditure Survey, 2000–01
	
		Table 3: Percentage of households with a home computer by Government Office regions and countries of GB; April 2000 to March 2001
		
			 Government Office region and country of GB Percentage 
		
		
			 North East 37 
			 North West 42 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 41 
			 East Midlands 43 
			 West Midlands 44 
			 East 47 
			 London 50 
			 South East 50 
			 South West 51 
			 England 46 
			 Wales 38 
			 Scotland 37 
			 Great Britain 45 
		
	
	Source:
	Family Expenditure Survey, 2000–01
	Table 4 below shows the percentage of households and enterprises with Internet access for major European countries for 2000, the latest available consistent estimates.
	
		Table 4: Percentage of households and enterprises with Internet access for major European countries; 2000 -- Percentage
		
			 Country Households with Internet access(12) Enterprises with Internet access(13) 
		
		
			 United Kingdom 32 63 
			 Sweden 54 90 
			 Germany 27 67 
			 France 12 (14)— 
			 Italy 15 66 
		
	
	(12) Source: UK—Family Expenditure Survey (April 2000 to March 2001); Sweden and Germany—Eurobarometer; France and Italy—National Statistics Institutes.
	(13) Source: Eurostat co-ordinated e-Commerce surveys 2000. Enterprises with 10 or more employees. Richard Deiss (2002): "e-Commerce in Europe, Statistics in Focus".
	(14) Not available
	Like all estimates from sample surveys the figures presented are subject to sampling variability. This is greater for sub-groups of the population than for national estimates.

Sponsorship

Alan Beith: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  if he will list the occasions when departments have sought his Department's guidance in accordance with paragraph 8 of his Department's guidance on the sponsorship of Government events in (a) 2000 and (b) 2001, stating in each case the (i) department and (ii) event concerned;
	(2)  whether records are held within his Department for the purpose of enforcing paragraph 3 of his Department's guidance on sponsorship of Government events.

Christopher Leslie: The 1999 guidelines, "Sponsorship of Government Events", were superseded in July 2000 by the current guidelines, "Guidance to Departments on Sponsorship of Government Activities".
	Individual Departments are responsible for ensuring that the central guidance is appropriately applied when they are seeking sponsorship for their events and activities. My officials provide advice to departments on a case-by-case basis when requested to do so. Not all requests will be recorded as some will be no more than a passing request for advice in the margins of other discussions.

TREASURY

Higher Rate Tax

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is his policy to freeze the level of the threshold for the higher rate of income tax in 2003–04.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 26 April 2002
	No, the Government's plans, as set out in the Budget, assume the indexation of the basic rate limit (£29,900 in 2002–03).

National Insurance Records

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many records of individuals were stored in the national insurance record system as at 31 December 2001; how many of these records concerned individuals who are known to be deceased; and in how many of these records there has been no contributions activity since 1 January 2001.

Dawn Primarolo: On the basis of information held, the position is that 69,852,367 individual records were stored in the national insurance record system at 31 December 2001.
	5,987,933 of those concerned individuals who are known to be deceased. Records are retained beyond death because of potential and ongoing claims by dependent spouse.
	There has been no contributions activity on 5,784,733 of these records since 1 January 2001.

Small Firms

Richard Bacon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the taxation of small firms that trade as (a) limited companies and (b) unincorporated businesses.

Dawn Primarolo: Small firms trading as limited companies are subject to corporation tax on their trading profits. The owners of small firms trading as unincorporated businesses are subject to income tax on the trading profits of the business.

Lone-parent Families

Martin Linton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many children are in lone-parent families in (a) London, broken down by borough and (b) in the Battersea constituency.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Martin Linton MP, dated 15 May 2002
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question on the number of children in lone-parent families in (a) London, broken down by Borough, and (b) in the Battersea constituency. (55803)
	Estimates of the number of dependent children living in one-parent families in each London Borough are only available from the 1991 Census and are shown in the attached table.
	A 1991 census estimate of the number of dependent children in one-parent families is not available for the Battersea constituency, although some population estimates (including those of children), by household composition, were published in: "New Parliamentary Constituency, Key Counts Census Monitor, 1991" (HMSO, 1996)
	See also:
	Estimated numbers of one parent families and their prevalence in Great Britain in 1991, John Haskey, Population Trends 78, HMSO (London, 1994) (gives some other estimates for one-parent families by London Borough, using 1991 Census data)
	One-parent families and their dependent children in Great Britain, John Haskey, Population Trends, 91, The Stationery Office (London, 1998) (gives latest available national estimates)
	Regional Trends No 36 (2001 edition), Sub-regions of England (Table 14.4 page 199) (gives projected—from earlier censuses up to and including the 1991 Census—percentage proportions of households which are lone parent households in 1999 by London Borough)
	(Copies of Population Trends, Regional Trends and Census Monitors are held in the House of Commons Library.)
	2. Counts from the 2001 Census will become available during 2003 and will be placed in the House of Commons Library.
	
		Number of—(a) dependent children in lone parent families and (b) dependent children in all families; and (c) lone parent families with dependent children by London Boroughs, 1991 -- Thousands
		
			 London Borough Dependent children(15) in lone parent families (a) Dependent children(15) in all families (b) Percentage of dependent children(15) in lone parent families (a) divided by (b) times 100 Lone parent families with dependent children (c) 
		
		
			 City of London .07 .20 33 .05 
			 Camden 9.8 30.4 32 6.2 
			 Hackney 15.1 44.8 34 9.2 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 9.2 25.7 36 5.6 
			 Haringey 13.0 42.8 30 8.2 
			 Islington 12.2 33.2 37 8.0 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 6.4 22.4 29 4.3 
			 Lambeth 19.6 49.5 40 12.6 
			 Lewisham 16.4 48.2 34 10.3 
			 Newham 13.7 55.7 25 8.3 
			 Southwark 18.3 47.2 39 11.2 
			 Tower Hamlets 10.6 44.2 24 6.4 
			 Wandsworth 12.3 44.7 28 8.1 
			 Westminster, City of 6.5 25.7 25 4.3 
			 Inner London 163.3 514.8 32 102.6 
			  
			 Barking and Dagenham 6.1 31.7 19 3.9 
			 Barnet 9.7 63.5 15 6.1 
			 Bexley 6.2 47.4 13 4.0 
			 Brent 13.0 53.7 24 8.2 
			 Bromley 8.0 59.0 14 5.2 
			 Croydon 12.4 67.9 18 8.1 
			 Ealing 11.3 59.1 19 6.9 
			 Enfield 9.1 57.0 16 5.8 
			 Greenwich 13.1 48.2 27 7.5 
			 Harrow 5.3 44.4 12 3.5 
			 Havering 6.4 49.4 13 4.4 
			 Hillingdon 7.1 49.2 14 4.6 
			 Hounslow 8.4 46.0 18 5.0 
			 Kingston upon Thames 3.2 26.2 12 2.3 
			 Merton 5.4 34.0 16 3.6 
			 Redbridge 6.1 49.3 12 4.1 
			 Richmond upon Thames 3.9 30.1 13 2.7 
			 Sutton 5.2 35.1 15 3.2 
			 Waltham Forest 10.2 45.6 22 6.4 
			 Outer London 150.1 896.8 17 95.5 
			  
			 Greater London 313.3 1,411.6 22 198.1 
		
	
	(15) A dependent child is either a person aged 0–15 in a household; or one aged 16–18, never married, in full-time education, and economically inactive.
	Note:
	Estimated numbers have been calculated at London Borough level then summed to obtain estimates for Inner London, Outer London and Greater London
	Source:
	1991 Census (based on 10 per cent. Census figures, grossed up)

HEALTH

Intermediate Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to his Department's guidance HSC/LAC (2001) 1 Intermediate Care, if he will publish a breakdown of the allocation of the £900 million spending announced in the NHS Plan for Intermediate Care.

Jacqui Smith: Health service circular 2001/001: local authority circular (2001)/1 Intermediate Care, issued on 19 January 2001, explains that, as part of the extra £900 million made available by 2003–04 for intermediate care and related services to promote independence, around £255 million is specifically for national health service investment in intermediate care. This is on top of the extra £150 million available recurrently from 2000–01, and a further £64 million is for community equipment services.
	The circular also confirms that £100 million will be available in 2003–04 for a personal social services (PSS) performance fund, focusing initially on development of intermediate care. Beyond that, a substantial component of the £900 million relates to resources being provided to local government, mostly through the PSS standard spending assessment. Deployment of those resources remain a decision for councils to make in the light of local circumstances.
	The circular is in the Library.

Young People

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what subjects and on which dates his Department has consulted organisations representing young people; and if he will list such organisations.

Jacqui Smith: Quality Protects is the Government's flagship programme to improve the management and delivery of children's social services. Participation of children and young people underpins the Quality Protects programme and is a priority area for special grant funding. In September 2000, the Department formed a Quality Protects young people's reference group to ensure the contemporary views of children and young people inform the development of the programme. The Department meets with this group three times a year. The last meeting took place on 6 April 2002. Topics discussed included the Department's review of foster care (Choice Protects) and draft advocacy standards.
	In addition to the Quality Protects reference group, the Department meets regularly with A National Voice—a young people's organisation which exists to enable young people currently or previously in care to have an effective voice in consulting and developing policies that will bring about positive change for young people. A National Voice is unique in that it is managed and staffed by young people with experience of having been in care.
	Further, as part of the paediatric cardiac review, the Department has consulted children, young people and parents about their experiences of heart treatment and care. Visits took place to 14 heart units across the country in September 2001 and November 2001.
	Consultation on policy developments relating to children routinely takes place involving organisations representing young people, alongside other organisations.

GP Recruitment

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to make a statement on the review process of the qualification level for health authorities to receive the extra golden hello funding incentive for recruitment of general practitioners in their area.

John Hutton: holding answer 29 April 2002
	We are currently reviewing the list of under-doctored primary care trusts which qualify for an additional general practitioner golden hello payment. We expect to publish our proposals shortly and the revised list to take effect from 1 October 2002.

Solar Panels

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what buildings owned by his Department have solar panels installed.

Hazel Blears: None of the buildings owned and occupied by the Department for its own use has solar panels installed.
	This reply does not include information about the national health service.

NHS Dentistry

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to review dental services in England.

Hazel Blears: During 2001 the Chief Dental Officer led a working group to look at options for change to modernise national health service dentistry building on the Government's strategy document "Modernising NHS dentistry: Implementing the NHS Plan" published in September 2000.
	This group has completed its deliberations and the Government announced on 25 April that we intend to move forward plans to reform NHS dentistry developed by the "Options for Change" group. The ideas behind "Options for Change" need practical testing and demonstration sites will be set up across the country, with the assistance of the NHS Modernisation Agency. The sites will explore a variety of new methods for providing NHS dentistry, such as allowing primary care trusts to commission all NHS dental services and allowing dentists to choose to work in different ways at different times in their careers.

NHS Dentistry

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been spent on NHS dental treatment in each of the past five years in each of the health authorities of the north-west of England.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 9 May 2002
	Fee expenditure in the general dental service is shown in the table, both gross and also net of patient charges. Figures are given by health authority in the north-west region for the years 1996–97 to 2000–01.
	Fee expenditure covers dentists' claims for treating patients and patient registrations payments. It excludes some other payments to dentists where a breakdown by health authority is not collected centrally, for example reimbursement of practice rates.
	Expenditure by other national health service dental services is not collected centrally.
	
		General dental service: gross and net fees by health authority in the north-west region, 1996–97 to 2000–01 -- £ million
		
			   1996–97  1997–98  1998–99  1999–2000  2000–01  
			 Health authority Gross Net Gross Net Gross Net Gross Net Gross Net 
		
		
			 Bury and Rochdale 10.8 7.7 10.8 7.7 11.6 8.2 11.8 8.4 12.1 8.5 
			 East Lancashire 12.9 9.1 13.3 9.4 13.9 9.7 14.3 10.0 13.9 9.8 
			 Liverpool 14.5 11.7 14.6 11.8 15.1 12.2 15.3 12.2 15.5 12.4 
			 Manchester 14.8 11.6 14.8 11.6 15.6 12.2 16.3 12.7 17.0 13.1 
			 Morecambe Bay 7.8 5.0 7.9 5.1 8.2 5.2 8.5 5.3 8.8 5.4 
			 North Cheshire 7.9 5.5 8.1 5.6 8.4 5.8 8.8 6.1 9.2 6.3 
			 North-west Lancashire 13.6 9.3 14.1 9.7 15.0 10.3 15.8 11.0 15.9 10.9 
			 Salford and Trafford 14.5 10.4 14.4 10.3 15.1 10.8 15.4 11.1 16.0 11.4 
			 Sefton 8.6 5.9 8.9 6.1 9.3 6.3 9.2 6.1 9.0 5.8 
			 South Cheshire 17.6 11.5 18.3 12.1 19.0 12.5 18.5 12.2 19.5 12.8 
			 South Lancashire 6.7 4.7 7.0 4.9 7.6 5.1 7.9 5.4 8.6 5.9 
			 St. Helens and Knowsley 9.1 7.0 9.6 7.3 9.9 7.5 10.0 7.5 9.9 7.4 
			 Stockport 8.8 5.6 8.9 5.6 9.4 5.9 9.6 6.0 10.2 6.4 
			 West Pennine 14.3 10.4 14.6 10.5 15.1 10.7 15.9 11.4 16.2 11.4 
			 Wigan and Bolton 16.7 11.6 17.4 12.1 18.4 12.7 18.5 12.9 18.8 13.1 
			 Wirral 9.5 6.7 10.0 7.0 10.9 7.5 11.3 7.7 11.7 8.1 
			  
			 North-west region total 188.1 133.8 192.6 136.8 202.5 142.7 207.2 145.9 212.1 148.6

Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the percentage changes in the incidence of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus in (a) the NHS and (b) the private sector in each of the past five years.

Yvette Cooper: The mandatory reporting of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) bacteraemias by national health service acute trusts began in April 2001. The system does not cover private hospitals. The data are published quarterly in the CDR Weekly. The data collected so far can be used as baselines only and do not indicate trends.
	Microbiology laboratories in England and Wales have been voluntarily reporting MRSA bacteraemias to the Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) for many years. Provisional quarterly data are published in the CDR Weekly. Corrected annual data have been published recently in the 1999–2000 Review of Communicable Disease.
	Some private microbiology laboratories report some infections to the PHLS, but these are a very small proportion of reports received.
	Data from a voluntary system are shown as follows:
	
		Laboratory reports of staphylococcus aureus isolated from blood and their susceptibility to methicillin: England and Wales, annual totals 1997–2001
		
			  Total reports Susceptibility not reported Sensitive to methicillin Resistant to methicillin (MRSA) Total susceptibility reported Percentage (MRSA) 
		
		
			 1997(16) 9,328 1,719 5,312 2,297 7,609 30.2 
			 1998(16) 9,374 1,746 5,020 2,608 7,628 34.2 
			 1999(16) 10,813 1,848 5,624 3,341 8,965 37.2 
			 2000(16) 11,635 1,667 5,792 4,176 9,968 42.0 
			 2001(17) 12,631 1,238 6,626 4,767 11,392 41.8 
		
	
	(16) Corrected data (PHLS Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre 1999–2000 Review of Communicable Diseases)
	(17) Provisional data (CDR Weekly)

Smallpox Vaccine

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reason it was decided to establish a national stockpile of smallpox vaccine; who took the decision; and on what date.

John Hutton: The United Kingdom has held a substantial stockpile of smallpox vaccine for contingency purposes since smallpox vaccination ceased in the 1970s. The existing stock of vaccine is nearly 30-years-old. Although the vaccine has retained its potency, the technology underpinning these stocks is now also 30-years-old. In the aftermath of the events of September 11, we reviewed our ability to deal with terrorist attacks involving biological weapons. We have decided that the sensible course of action is to up-date our existing smallpox vaccine supplies with new supplies of cell based vaccines to reflect advances in vaccine development and safety standards.
	Ministers took the decision to proceed to purchase smallpox vaccine on 11 March, and a contract was signed with PowderJect on 11 April.

Smallpox Vaccine

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doses of smallpox vaccine have been procured; at what cost; and how was the number of doses determined.

John Hutton: The Department is not putting information about the size of its smallpox vaccine stock or its deployment in the public domain as this is information that might be useful to terrorists. As smallpox has been eradicated since the 1970s, its re-introduction into the UK is only likely if there is a terrorist attack on the United Kingdom. This therefore raises issues of national security. The cost of the current procurement is £32 million.

Smallpox Vaccine

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the smallpox vaccine to be supplied by Powderject will be trialled.

John Hutton: There are currently no plans to undertake clinical trials of the smallpox vaccine in the United Kingdom. Since smallpox does not currently exist in the population, trials of protective efficacy are not possible.
	The European Union committee for proprietary medicinal products is currently considering the requirements for the development and manufacture of second generation smallpox vaccine, which will include guidance on the design of clinical trials.

Smallpox Vaccine

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which population of humans will be targeted in clinical testing of smallpox vaccines; and what tests will be used to determine immunity protections.

John Hutton: holding answer 2 May 2002
	There are currently no plans to undertake clinical trials of the smallpox vaccine in the United Kingdom. Since smallpox does not currently exist in the population, trials of protective efficacy are not possible.
	The European Union committee for proprietary medicinal products is currently considering the requirements for the development and manufacture of second generation smallpox vaccine, which will include guidance on the design of clinical trials.

Smallpox Vaccine

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 25 April 2002, Official Report, column 460W, on the smallpox vaccine, who the members of the specially convened sub-group of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation are; what their institutional and commercial affiliations are; and how often the sub-group meets.

John Hutton: holding answer 2 May 2002
	The expert sub-group, under the chairmanship of the chair of the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation (JCVI), was convened by the Department. The sub-group was comprised of those core members of the JCVI with experience relevant to smallpox vaccine issues, other experts with related expertise in virology, communicable disease control, smallpox eradication, intensive clinical care, smallpox research, and vaccine production and licensing. The Ministry of Defence and the Department were also fully represented at the meeting. In the interests of national security, the discussions were confidential as they related to the nation's preparedness to deal with a bioterrorist attack, and the experts gave their individual views on this basis. The names of the participants are therefore not being made public.
	A declaration of interests and their academic affiliations is required of all members of the JCVI and a full list of members and their interests is shortly to be placed in the Library.
	The expert sub-group has met five times since 11 September on an ad hoc basis to advise on medical countermeasures and outbreak control issues for smallpox and other biological agents. The sub-group was convened on an ad hoc basis and there is no timetable for regular meetings.

Smallpox Vaccine

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he plans to issue information on smallpox vaccination quantities and deployment to (a) local authorities, (b) local hospitals and (c) the police.

John Hutton: holding answer 2 May 2002
	As smallpox has not occurred naturally in the world since the 1970s, its re-introduction into the UK is likely to be as the result of a direct terrorist attack on our country. This raises issues of national security as well as public health. For this reason the Department is not making public details about the quantities of vaccine stocks or vaccine deployment, as this might be information that could be useful to terrorists. The Department issued guidance to all health authorities and regional directors of public health on the procedures to be followed in the event of a deliberate release of smallpox and other biological agents, on 17 October. At the same time, guidance for medical and laboratory staff was issued by the Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) concerning the precautions to be adopted in the event of an outbreak of smallpox. This advice is available on the PHLS website: http:// www.phls.co.uk/advice/smallpox—guidelines.pdf
	In the event of an outbreak, more detailed information for patients and the public will be made available.

Smallpox Vaccine

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how long it will take Powderject to develop the plant and methodology to produce smallpox vaccine.

John Hutton: holding answer 2 May 2002
	PowderJect's chosen UK partners, Bavarian Nordic, are already producing the smallpox vaccine to meet the UK contract.

Smallpox Vaccine

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what contact his officials have had with Impfstoffwerke Dessau Tornav in connection with the supply of smallpox vaccine.

John Hutton: An official from the Department accompanied officials from the Ministry of Defence on a visit to Bavarian Nordic and Impfstoffwerke Dessau Tornav at the end of January on a fact-finding visit to discuss vaccine developments and manufacturing techniques and capacity for both types of smallpox vaccine being made by the company.

Smallpox Vaccine

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health where the smallpox vaccine to be acquired under the contract with PowderJect Pharmaceuticals is to be manufactured; and which company will be responsible for its manufacture.

John Hutton: Under the contract recently awarded to PowderJect, the smallpox vaccine will be manufactured in Germany under the responsibility of PowderJect and its collaborative partner Bavarian Nordic.

MMR Vaccine

David Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of eligible children in Surrey were vaccinated with the MMR vaccine in (a) 1999–2000, (b) 2000–01 and (c) 2001–02.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 9 May 2002
	Information about children immunised against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) in East Surrey and West Surrey health authorities, by their second birthday and fifth birthday, is shown in the table.
	
		Percentage of children immunised against MMR
		
			   By their fifth birthday  
			 At 31 March  By their second birthday First dose First and second dose 
		
		
			 East Surrey
			 1999 83 — — 
			 2000 82 87 72 
			 2001 80 86 62 
			 
			 West Surrey
			 1999 87 — — 
			 2000 84 89 66 
			 2001 81 89 58 
		
	
	Note:
	Information about uptake of MMR immunisation at age five was collected for the first time in 1999–2000.
	Source:
	Department of Health, Statistics Division SD3

Vasectomy

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Under-Secretary of State for health, the hon. Member for Pontefract and Castleford (Yvette Cooper), will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Salisbury dated 7 January about her policy on vasectomy.

Yvette Cooper: A reply was sent on 10 May.

Salt

David Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what role the Department of Health plays in the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition's review of the evidence on salt; in what form the SACN will publish the results of their consideration of evidence on salt in the diets of adults and children; and whether consultees will be given the opportunity to comment on the draft of SACN's report on salt prior to publication.

Yvette Cooper: The Department provides the joint Secretariat for Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) with the Food Standards Agency.
	SACN's review of salt will be the first such report published by this new committee (which held its first meeting in June 2001). The final form of the report has not yet been decided. It will be placed on the SACN website to make it available to stakeholders as soon as it has been agreed by the committee. There are no plans to conduct consultation on the report before this is done.

Violence (Hospitals)

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) red cards and (b) yellow cards were issued in each hospital taking part in the trials to reduce violence; and what changes have taken place in the levels of violence in (i) those hospitals using the schemes and (ii) those who are not.

John Hutton: No trials have been undertaken by the Department on the yellow and red card schemes. Barts and the London NHS Trust introduced a policy on the withdrawal of treatment from violent patients, also known as the yellow and red card scheme, in September 2000. The policy has had a deterrent effect, and although the trust has issued 12 yellow cards (formal written warnings), it has proved necessary to issue only the one red card (withdrawal of treatment).
	Barts and the London NHS Trust have provided the following information on the number of reported violent incidents.
	
		
			 Quarter Total reported incidents 
		
		
			 July-September 2000 56 
			 July-September 2001 102 
			 April-9 May 2002 40 
		
	
	The trust attributes the increase in reported incidents to increased staff awareness of the importance of reporting all incidents, which has been achieved through publicising the trust's policy in staff bulletins, and on posters, and wage slips.
	The Department issued national guidelines, based on the Barts scheme, to national health service trusts to help develop policies on withholding NHS treatment from violent and abusive patients on 2 November 2001. All trusts must consider the need to develop a local policy on withholding treatment from violent and abusive patients. Such policies and procedures should form part of local policies addressing safer working conditions and should have been in place by April 2002.
	Information on violent patients who have had treatment withheld because of their violent behaviour is not collected centrally, but may be held at a local level by NHS employers.

NHS Staff (Assaults)

David Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many assaults there have been on NHS staff in Surrey in each of the past five years.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 9 May 2002
	This information is held by individual national health service trusts and, therefore, is not available centrally.

Health Teams

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) crisis resolution teams, (b) early intervention teams and (c) assertive outreach teams have been set up since the NHS Plan; and how many such teams have been set up, and where, in the northern and Yorkshire NHS region.

Jacqui Smith: The numbers and distribution of these teams are monitored in the adult mental health services mapping exercise. Figures for England, and for the northern and Yorkshire region, are shown in the table.
	
		Northern and Yorkshire
		
			 Local implementation team Assertive outreach teams Crisis resolution teams Early intervention teams 
		
		
			 Bradford 2 1 — 
			 Calderdale — — — 
			 County Durham and Darlington 5 — — 
			 Craven — — — 
			 Dewsbury (north Kirklees) 1 — 1 
			 East Yorkshire 1 — — 
			 Gateshead 1 — — 
			 Hambleton and Richmondshire 1 — — 
			 Harrogate 1 — — 
			 Hartlepool 1 1 — 
			 Huddersfield (south Kirklees) 1 — — 
			 Hull 1 — — 
			 Leeds 2 1 — 
			 Middlesbrough 1 — — 
			 Newcastle and north Tyneside 1 1 — 
			 North Cumbria 1 — — 
			 Northumberland 1 2 — 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 1 — — 
			 Scarborough 1 1 — 
			 Selby 1 — — 
			 South Tyneside 1 — — 
			 Stockton 1 — — 
			 Sunderland 3 — — 
			 Wakefield 1 — — 
			 York 1 — — 
			  
			 Northern and Yorkshire 31 7 1 
			 
			 Total for England 184 52 16

Treatment Abroad

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what rights an NHS patient has to demand treatment overseas as a result of the recent European Court ruling.

John Hutton: Following the Decisions of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in the cases of Garaets-Smits/ Peerbooms (C157/99) and Vanbraekel (C368/98), my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State announced last autumn that he was removing the obstacles in domestic legal provision to allow health care commissioners in England to purchase care elsewhere in the European Economic Area (EEA) for English residents.
	These arrangements for direct purchase of care operate alongside the provisions of European Community law in Regulation (EEC) 1408–71. This allows referral of patients from the country of residence to the state medical sector in any of the member states of the EEA specifically to receive treatment for a pre-existing medical condition, using EC Form E112. The procedures for obtaining this document are set out in the Department of Health leaflet 'Health Advice for Travellers' available from Post Offices (copy available in the Library).
	In considering the national legislation of the Netherlands at issue in the Garaets-Smits/Peerbooms case, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) said that their system which required prior approval from the patient's sickness insurance institution for treatment in other EEA states, was contrary to the freedom to provide services provisions of the treaty establishing the European Community. However, the ECJ said that, provided certain conditions were met, such a rule was justified in the interests of maintaining the financial stability of the Dutch national health system.
	In the light of the ECJ rulings, the United Kingdom continues to operate a requirement that prior authorisation for treatment elsewhere in the EEA must be obtained. In the case of E112 referrals responsibility for this prior authorisation rests with the Department. Direct commissioning of health care services by national health service bodies by its very nature requires prior authorisation by the referring NHS organisation. Patients arranging treatment elsewhere in the EEA without obtaining the appropriate prior authorisation are personally liable for the costs involved.

Care Homes

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes have taken place to invoicing arrangements for care homes since the introduction of payments for nursing care.

Jacqui Smith: Invoicing arrangements are matters for care home providers to agree with individuals and local authorities, according to the terms of any contract. From 1 October 2001, no one should be charged for the care they need to receive from a registered nurse.

Care Homes

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what requirement there is in the new National Care Home Standards for minimum corridor widths; and how this will apply to homes in older properties.

Jacqui Smith: The national minimum standards do not specify corridor widths.

Care Homes

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has commissioned the website www.nhsonline.net to provide an internet directory of care homes.

Jacqui Smith: No.

Medical Students

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on incentive schemes that are (a) in place and (b) planned to encourage the study of medicine by students.

John Hutton: The study of medicine continues to be a very popular option among university applicants offering as it does the opportunity of a challenging, worthwhile and highly esteemed career within a huge range of possible job opportunities. Universities and colleges admissions services data are showing that home applications have increased by almost 17 per cent. in the current application cycle.
	In recognition of the longer length of medical training courses and the need to guarantee the increased future supply of medical staff, the Government have already introduced special financial support arrangements for undergraduate medical students. English domiciled pre-registration medical students who joined their courses from 1 September 1998 onwards, qualify for NHS bursaries in their fifth and subsequent years of study. NHS bursaries are also available to English-domiciled students undertaking the new four-year graduate-entry medical courses. These students qualify for NHS-funded support in years two to four of the course.
	Medical and dental students receive the same package of support as other health professional students studying at degree level and are therefore eligible for a means tested NHS bursary of up to £2,640 for students studying in London (rate for academic year 2002–03), supplemented by a non-means tested reduced rate student loan. In addition all NHS-funded students have their liability for a tuition fee contribution (£1,100 for academic year 2002–03) met in full, and without means testing. Additional allowances are available for older students, individuals with disabilities, single parents and others with dependants, and also to take account of the longer academic year attended by health professional students.
	During the first four years of the undergraduate medical course, students are supported under the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) student support regulations. On 3 October my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (Estelle Morris) announced her Department's plans for a fundamental review of mainstream student support arrangements. The Department will be working with DfES to ensure the needs of medical students are taken fully into account in the design of any new arrangements.

Correspondence

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Ashford of 10 April 2001, 16 July 2001 and 17 December 2001, on Ehlers Dantos Syndrome.

Jacqui Smith: The Department had been unable to trace the hon. Member's letters. Duplicates were requested and a reply was sent on 10 May.

Correspondence

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the letter of 28 January concerning Mr. Wong of Chelmsford from the hon. Member for West Chelmsford.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 9 May 2002
	The Department has no record of receiving this correspondence. The hon. Member's office has been asked to supply a duplicate.

Social Services

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of (a) the cost to (i) local authority social services and (ii) North Yorkshire county council social services, of the proposed bed blocking fines and new NI rates and (b) the increase in funding for social services for (i) and (ii).

Jacqui Smith: None. The new approach is about putting in place the right incentives to ensure that people are able to leave hospital as soon as treatment is completed and it is safe for them to do so. Councils that meet their responsibilities in reducing delayed discharges will not be disadvantaged. We will consult on the details of the scheme in due course.

Digital Hearing Aids

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give priority in the provision of digital hearing aids to former service men whose hearing was damaged during the course of their service duties as defined by the War Pensions Agency.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 9 May 2002
	National health service hospitals should ensure that they give priority to war pensioners, both as in-patients and as out-patients, for examination or treatment relating to the condition for which the patient receives a pension or received a gratuity (unless there is an emergency case or another case demands clinical priority).

Rheumatologists

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of rheumatologists per head of population.

John Hutton: Since 1999, the number of consultant rheumatologists has increased from 371 to 411, an increase of 11 per cent.
	The requested information is shown in the table. The standard ratio used in the Department is per 100,000 of the population and these data have also been provided.
	
		Hospital, medical staff within the rheumatology specialty—England at 30 September 2001
		
			  Number Per head of population Per 100,000 population 
		
		
			 All staff 900 0.0 1.8 
			 of which
			 Consultant 410 0.0 0.8 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health 2001 medical and dental work force census.

Bed Blocking

David Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds are blocked in Surrey hospitals because patients cannot be discharged; and what the average cost is per bed per day of these blocked beds.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 9 May 2002
	Quarterly information on delayed discharges, by health authority, has been placed in the Library. The most recent figures available are for quarter 3 of 2001–02.
	The cost to national health service trusts resulting from delayed transfers of care is management information and, as such, is not collected centrally.

Hospital Discharges (Elderly People)

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what power local authorities will have over hospital discharges when the penalty system on local authorities for delays in discharging elderly people from hospitals is in place;
	(2)  what discussions he and his officials had with the Treasury prior to the Budget regarding the plan to penalise local authorities for delays in discharging elderly people from hospitals;
	(3)  what will constitute a delay in discharge of an elderly person from hospital under the proposed penalties on local authorities for delayed discharge;
	(4)  what estimate he has made of the cost to local authorities of the proposed fines for delays in discharging elderly people from hospitals, broken down by category of authority.

Jacqui Smith: Before the Budget, Departments had a wide range of discussions with Treasury. Councils will need to use the resources announced in the Budget to ensure that people are able to leave hospital once their treatment is completed. If they are successful in that they will have the freedom to use these resources to invest in social care services.
	We will consult on the details of the scheme in due course.

Hospital Discharges (Elderly People)

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to set targets for the reduction in delayed discharges of elderly patients from hospitals for each local authority.

Jacqui Smith: The current target is for a continued reduction in the number of delayed discharges from hospitals so that there will be 20 per cent. fewer blocked beds in March 2003 compared to March 2002.

Mental Health

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the funding by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight health authority of proposed crisis and home treatment services for the mentally ill in 2002–03;
	(2)  what guidance he has given to the Hampshire and Isle of Wight health authority in respect of (a) ring- fencing NHS funding for the modernisation of mental health services and (b) the allocation of NHS funding for mental health between the provision of (i) medium secure units and (ii) crisis and home treatment services.

Jacqui Smith: At this time discussions on the service and financial framework for Hampshire and Isle of Wight health authority are still on-going. I can assure the hon. Member that the importance of providing appropriate mental health services for the local people who need them is fully recognised by both the Department and the local health authority.
	It is for local health authorities in partnership with primary care trusts to determine how resources are used to provide the greatest benefits for patients. For that reason no guidance has been issued on the funding of specific mental health services. From 2002–03 it will be possible to identify precisely how the earmarked allocations, including those for mental health services, are being spent.

East Cheshire Hospice

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide extra funds to Cheshire Social Services and the Eastern Cheshire Primary Care Trust to enable them to increase support for the East Cheshire Hospice.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 10 May 2002
	Eastern Cheshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) is working closely with East Cheshire Hospice and is investing significantly in the services it provides. This follows a comprehensive review of cancer services, including palliative care, by the former South Cheshire health authority, which developed a four-year strategy in consultation with all relevant partners, including the hospice itself. Funding has risen in real terms over the last year. We have pledged, in the NHS Cancer Plan, that the national health service contribution to the costs of specialist palliative care will increase.

Mid Essex Hospital Trust

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in the Mid Essex Hospital Trust area have been waiting (a) over 12 months and (b) over 15 months for treatment.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 14 May 2002
	At 31 March 2002 Mid Essex Hospital Services national health service trust had 320 patients waiting more than 12 months for elective admission. The trust had no patients waiting more than 15 months.

Mid Essex Hospital Trust

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) general practitioner and (b) practice nurse vacancies there are within the Mid Essex Hospital Trust area.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 14 May 2002
	The Department first carried out a survey into general practitioner (GP) recruitment, retention and vacancies in 2000. The information is collated on a health authority basis.
	In the 2001 survey North Essex health authority reported that it had 27 GP vacancies outstanding at some time in the 12-month period 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001.
	Results from the 2002 survey should be available later in the year.
	Information on practice nurse vacancies is not collected centrally.

Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations have been cancelled at Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford in the last available month; and what percentage of the cancelled operations were carried out within four weeks.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 14 May 2002
	Data are collected quarterly. In Quarter 3 2001–02 there were 88 operations cancelled at Mid Essex Hospital Services national health service trust at the last minute (operations cancelled by the hospital for non-clinical reasons on, or after the day the patient was due to be admitted). Fifteen patients were not readmitted within one month.
	From 1 April 2002 if a patient has their operation cancelled by the hospital on the day of surgery for non-clinical reasons the hospital will have to offer another binding date within a maximum of the next 28 days or fund the patient's treatment at the time and hospital of the patient's choice.

Ashford and St. Peter's Hospitals

David Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the (a) income and (b) expenditure of the Ashford and St. Peter's hospitals was during the financial year ended on 31 March;
	(2)  how much money has been borrowed by the Ashford and St. Peter's hospitals NHS trust to cover overspending in each of the past three years; and what arrangements are being made to repay this money.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 2 May 2002
	Ashford and St. Peter's hospitals national health service trust's final audited accounts for the 2001–02 financial year are still to be produced.
	The trust received planned support at the beginning of the 2001–02 financial year from West Surrey health authority (HA) in the form of non-recurrent revenue support. This was given as part of an agreed performance improvement plan. No in-year brokerage has been received by the trust in the last three years. The trust has also received cash support from West Surrey HA to support its historical debt but this does not effect its break even position.
	The trust is aware of its statutory duties to achieve a financial balance over a three year period and has made plans to ensure that this is achieved by the combination of land sales and the introduction of a savings action plan with North Surrey primary care trust.

Prescription Charges

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to ensure students are informed about their eligibility to pay medical prescription charges when they arrive at university.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 10 May 2002
	Posters are made available for display at general practitioner surgeries, pharmacies and hospital out-patients departments, drawing attention to the availability of free national health service prescriptions. Leaflet HC11—'Help with health costs'—provides more details and is available from main post offices, benefit offices and NHS hospitals. Some universities make this leaflet and other relevant literature, for example claim form HC1—'Help with health costs', available to students through student unions and campus medical sites.
	In addition, the notes on the reverse of the prescription form advise patients to obtain leaflet HC11 if they need information about exemption from prescription charges or refunds.

Health and Social Care Act

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to implement Part IV of the Health and Social Care Act 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 13 May 2002
	Sections 50–55 and 59 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001 have already been commenced. Sections 49 and 56–58 have been partially commenced. It is intended that they will be fully implemented by April 2003.

Chelmsford Primary Care Trust

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the prescribing budget is for the Chelmsford PCT in 2002–03.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 14 May 2002
	I am advised that Chelmsford Primary Care Trust has allocated from their 2002–03 unified budget £13.452 million towards the anticipated cost of prescribing for their general practitioners.

Pesticide Residues

Doug Naysmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to publish the results of the monitoring programme for pesticide residues in fruit supplied to the National School Fruit Scheme.

Yvette Cooper: The first set of results has been published today on the website of the Pesticide Residues Committee and a copy has been placed in the Library. I have been advised by the Food Standards Agency and the Pesticides Safety Directorate that none of the residues found would give rise to concern for consumer health generally, and specifically for children's health. Further results will be published at regular intervals.

Military Hospitals

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many military hospitals have been used in the past two years to supplement the national health service.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 7 May 2002
	I have been asked to reply
	Within the last two years, the Royal Hospital Haslar has treated NHS patients as part of arrangements with the NHS which enable Defence Medical Services personnel access to a wide mix of cases necessary to develop and maintain their clinical skills for their operational role. A small number of NHS patients have been treated at the Duchess of Kent's Psychiatric Hospital, Catterick.

Asbestos-related Illness

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the levels of compensation received by (a) mesothelioma sufferers and (b) those suffering from the effects of asbestos.

Michael Wills: I have been asked to reply.
	The levels of compensation awarded by the courts in relation to mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases are a matter for the discretion of the court in the individual circumstances of the case. The Judicial Studies Board produces guidelines for the assessment of personal injury damages, based on existing case law. The most recent edition of the guidelines, published in 2000, indicates that at that time awards in respect of mesothelioma or asbestosis causing severe impairment both of function and of quality of life usually fell within the range of £40,000 to £50,000.

European Hospitals

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those European hospitals which have received official visits from his Department since 1 January 2001.

John Hutton: holding answer 11 March 2002
	The list shows hospitals that received visits from a Minister or officials since January 2001 according to data held by the Department.
	Belgium
	Genk Clinic
	Denmark
	Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen
	Finland
	University Hospital, Helsinki
	France
	La Louviere Polyclinic, Lille
	Centre Hospitalier Privé de la Loire, St. Etienne
	Germany
	Gilead Hospital, Bielefeld
	Das Klinikum, Osnabruck
	Henriettenstiftung, Hanover
	Lutherhaus, Essen
	Klinik fur Minimal Invasive Chirurgie, Berlin
	Zentralkrankenhaus Bad Berka, near Erfurt
	University Hospital in Munster
	Norway
	National Hospital, Oslo
	Spain
	Alcorcon Foundation Hospital, Madrid
	Alzira Hospital, near Valencia
	Hospital de Madrid
	Sweden
	Medocular Cataract Clinic in Stockholm
	St. Gorans Hospital, Stockholm
	Hospital in Simrishamn, Lund
	Helsingborg Hospital Ltd., Lund
	St. Goran's Hospital, Malmo.

Human Cloning

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many human cloning research licence applications have been received to date by the HFEA; in whose name the applications have been made; who the grants organisations are financing the proposed research; and who the peer reviewers assessing the applications will be.

Yvette Cooper: No applications for research involving cell nuclear replacement (therapeutic cloning) have yet been received by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.

Organ Donation

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact of the organ donation campaigns targeted at the Black and Asian communities.

Jacqui Smith: The South Asian campaign was launched in 1999 and an evaluation was carried out by the Department in August 2000. The evaluation indicated that awareness levels were rising within the South Asian community.
	The Black campaign was launched in March 2002 and the Department will monitor the progress of this campaign carefully.

Ministerial Training

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent by his Department on voice coaching for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 26 April 2002
	Ministers have not received voice coaching provided by an external supplier and paid for by the Department in any of the last five years. Any voice coaching bought in for individual officials would represent individual minimal expenditure. A trawl for accurate data could be carried out only at disproportionate cost.

Colorectal Cancer

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representatives concerned with treatment of colorectal cancer sit on NICE appraisal panels assessing drugs used to treat colorectal cancer.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 29 April 2002
	Membership of the National Institute of Clinical Excellence appraisal panels are decided by the Institute. However, I understand that organisations representing patients and professionals had the opportunity to submit evidence, to nominate experts and patients to speak directly to the appraisal committee, and to participate in consultation on the committee's provisional determination. I understand that nominees of the Royal College of Surgeons (a reader in medical oncology) and the Royal College of Nursing (a colorectal cancer nurse specialist) attended the first meeting of the appraisal committee.

Obesity

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures the Government have taken to encourage people to walk more and use cars less for health reasons.

Yvette Cooper: We support measures to encourage businesses, schools and other organisations to develop and implement travel plans that include measures designed to reduce car use and increase walking to and from particular sites.
	The national service framework (NSF) for coronary heart disease (CHD) contains a milestone that every local health community, as an employer, should develop "green" transport plans. To assist national health service bodies in developing a travel plan, the Department has funded four regional seminars for NHS staff, and the production of a travel plan newsletter. Local strategies on increasing physical activity, including walking, are also being developed as part of the NSF CHD.
	In January 2002 the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR), in association with this Department, published "Walk in to Work Out", a pack which provides practical assistance on how to give people more choice about walking and cycling to work. A copy of this pack has been placed in the Library.
	DTLR intends to publish a national walking strategy later this year which will cover the health benefits of walking. These benefits will also be featured in a series of regional seminars this summer for local authority walking officers, businesses and other interest groups.

Obesity

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals have specialist units for treating obesity; and what plans he has to increase their numbers.

Yvette Cooper: The national health service's future health improvement plans are expected to take account of guidance on effective strategies to address overweight and obesity in supporting the implementation of the national service framework (NSF) for coronary heart disease (CHD) and ultimately diabetes. This is to be agreed at a local level and should include the assessment for the need for specialist obesity units, which will be addressed locally.
	As part of the NSF CHD milestones, all NHS bodies need to contribute to the delivery of local programmes of effective policies on overweight and obesity. The Department has commissioned the health development agency to produce briefing that will help primary care trusts to design effective policies and strategies on healthy eating, physical activity, overweight and obesity, and tobacco control.

Oral Cancer

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what correlation he has calculated exists between the incidence of undetected oral cancer and the number of NHS dentists in a given locality ; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: It is not possible to measure the incidence of undetected oral cancer. However, we have investigated the number of dentists and the rate of admissions for oral cancer and have found no relationship between oral cancer and the number of dentists or dental availability.
	This summer, the United Kingdom national screening committee (NSC) will also be considering outcomes from workshops to identify what part public awareness, professional development and research priorities can play in the issue of oral cancer. In forming any proposals they make to Ministers, the NSC draws on the latest research evidence and assesses new screening programmes against a set of recognised criteria to ensure that they are as beneficial as possible.

Children's Commissioner

Debra Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 22 April 2002, Official Report, column 108W, if he will make a statement on the differences between the role of a children's commissioner and the role of a children's rights director.

Jacqui Smith: There is no one standard model for a children's commissioner. The models that have been adopted in other countries vary considerably, and arise from the specific needs and individual circumstances of each country. While only Wales, among the devolved Administrations, has established the role of a children's commissioner, the possible forms of such a role within Northern Ireland and Scotland, now being considered in those countries, show both similarities and differences to the model introduced in Wales.
	The role of the children's rights director, located within the national care standards commission, was established by the Care Standards Act 2000. The primary role is to safeguard those children who are in receipt of a range of regulated services. These services include those provided by children's homes; independent fostering agencies; local authority fostering services; the welfare aspects of boarding schools; and, in due course, residential family centres, voluntary adoption agencies, and local authority adoption services. Regulations specifying the children's rights director's functions are expected to commence on 24 May 2002.

Shellfish Hygiene

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what notification he has received as to the proposed dates for the visit by the European Commission Health and Consumer Directorate regarding shellfish hygiene; and which Government offices it will be visiting.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 9 May 2002
	The date for this visit has yet to be finalised, however discussions with the European Commission indicate that it is likely to take place in the middle of July. Once the dates have been agreed, the Food Standards Agency will produce an agenda, taking account of the comments of the Commission on where they wish to visit and what they wish to see.

Beta Interferon

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if the health service across England will be ready to implement the prescription-plus-monitoring scheme for beta interferons from its start date of 6 May;
	(2)  how many people he estimates will receive beta interferon under the prescription-plus monitoring scheme;
	(3)  what progress has been made on the prescription- plus monitoring scheme for disease-modifying drugs for MS;
	(4)  how long he estimates it will take for all people who may benefit from beta interferons to have been assessed by a neurologist for the prescription-plus- monitoring scheme;
	(5)  when he estimates that all people who may benefit from beta interferons will be in receipt of them;
	(6)  if he will list the centres that will be authorised to prescribe beta interferons through his Department's prescription-plus-monitoring scheme;
	(7)  what predictions each centre authorised to prescribe disease-modifying drugs for MS has made on how long it will be before all people who may benefit from beta interferons and glatirimer acetate have been assessed by a neurologist for the prescription-plus-monitoring scheme;
	(8)  which authorised centres have begun prescribing beta interferon and glatirimer acetate under the prescription- plus-monitoring scheme for disease-modifying drugs for MS.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 10 May 2002
	It has been estimated that up to 9,000 multiple sclerosis patients in England and Wales may be eligible to receive treatment under the risk-sharing scheme, which started on 6 May 2002. Some centres have now started prescribing under the scheme, though the guidance in HSC 2002/004 recognises that appropriate NHS infrastructure may not yet be in place in some localities. It may take 18 months or longer before all potentially eligible patients are assessed under the scheme. The list of locally agreed prescribing centres is not yet finalised. The scheme co-ordinator, whose appointment will shortly be announced, will collect information on progress and activity under the scheme.

Sheppey Community Hospital

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to announce the appointment of new GPs to the GP surgery attached to the Sheppey Community Hospital.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 10 May 2002
	The new Sheppey Community Hospital is still under construction and is not expected to be completed before September 2002. The appointment of general practitioners to the practice on the hospital site will be a matter for Swale Primary Care Trust.

Health Action Zones

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what information he has collated on changes in health levels of residents within health action zones; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will list, for each year of their existence, and projected for 2002–03, the expenditure of each health action zone.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 13 May 2002
	The available data relating to specific causes of mortality collected for the years 1996–98 and 1997–99 has been placed in the Library.
	For details on expenditure for health action zones, may I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 22 February 2002, Official Report, column 1079W, which provided details of the expenditure of each health action zone from 1999–2000 to 2001–02, and projected expenditure for 2002–03. Expenditure for each health action zone for 1998–99 has been placed in the Library.

Speech Therapists

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 18 April, Official Report, column 1184W, if he will provide equivalent figures for unfilled vacancies for speech therapists.

John Hutton: holding answer 13 May 2002
	Vacancy information was not collected prior to 1999.
	Vacancy information by trust for 1999 and 2000 has been placed in the Library.
	I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave him on 2 May 2002, Official Report, column 991W, for vacancy information as at March 2001.

Clinical Negligence

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the (a) legal costs of defending clinical negligence claims against the NHS and (b) estimated costs of administration and management time incurred in defending clinical negligence claims against the NHS, in each of the last five years.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 13 May 2002
	Information on costs for legal defence and management/administration for clinical negligence claims against the national health service are not identified separately in the National Audit Office summarised accounts for the NHS (England).

Clinical Negligence

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total cost of clinical negligence claims paid by the NHS was for 2001–02.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 13 May 2002
	The total cost of clinical negligence claims paid by the national health service for 2001–02 is not yet available.

Clinical Negligence

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish a White Paper on clinical negligence.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 13 May 2002
	In July 2001 the chief medical officer was asked to set up an advisory group to look at the reform of clinical negligence in the national health service. It has not yet been possible to publish proposals for reform, because of the complexity of the issues raised by potential reforms, the need to consult widely (including through the Lord Chancellor's Department on how compensation is paid) and also to consider how potential proposals sit alongside a concurrent review of the NHS complaints procedure. Nevertheless, the chief medical officer has now held the last of his advisory group meetings and will shortly publish the findings along with recommendations for reform.

Suicide

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to reduce the number of suicides by young men.

Jacqui Smith: In December 1997 the Department launched the campaign against living miserably (CALM) telephone helpline in Manchester. The helpline, aimed at young men, offers advice, guidance, information and counselling at the onset of depression. CALM has been extended to Merseyside and Cumbria and Bedfordshire and we are looking to make it available in other areas in partnership with local agencies. Ultimately, we hope that the helpline will help to bring down the suicide rate in young men.
	In addition, the Department is in the process of developing, under the direction of the national director for mental health Professor Louis Appleby, a coherent national suicide prevention strategy to ensure that we are doing all we can to prevent suicides. This strategy was launched for public consultation on 26 April 2002. Copies of the strategy are available in the Library.

Expenditure (NHS Bodies)

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if, on the basis of the information currently available to his Department in respect of the 2001–02 outturn figures, he will list the NHS trusts and other bodies which used brokerage to remain within their revenue resource limits, capital resource limits and cash limits; and the amount of that brokerage.

John Hutton: holding answer 14 May 2002
	The information for 2001–02 is not yet finalised.

Expenditure (NHS Bodies)

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much of the allocation for 2002–03 for each primary care trust is earmarked for (a) mental health, (b) coronary heart disease, (c) cancer, (d) information management and technology, (e) primary care and (f) capacity;
	(2)  how much of the allocation for 2002–03 for each primary care trust is (a) recurrent and (b) non- recurrent.

John Hutton: holding answer 10 May 2002
	Health authorities share their total recurrent allocation between their constituent primary care trusts (PCTs) in line with guidance issued by the Department.
	In 2002–03 health authorities were instructed to allocate earmarked funding to PCTs on the same basis allocations were made to health authorities.
	Figures on primary care trust shares of health authority total recurrent allocations and earmarked funding within this have been placed in the Library. Information on the allocation of the non-recurrent funding to primary care trusts is not collected centrally.

Expenditure (NHS Bodies)

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much, in terms of (a) value and (b) percentage, of the budget for 2002–03 of each primary care trust is expected to be spent on (a) specialist commissioning, (b) other consortia-based commissioning, (c) primary care prescribing and (d) meeting the deficits of local provider trusts.

John Hutton: holding answer 14 May 2002
	This information is not available centrally. However, it is expected that this type of information would form part of the overall commissioning plans of primary care trusts. Strategic health authorities have a responsibility in performance managing the delivery of these plans.

Expenditure (NHS Bodies)

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if, on the basis of the information currently available to his Department in respect of the 2001–02 outturn figures, he will list those NHS trusts and other bodies whose recurrent expenditure exceeded their recurrent income; and if he will state for each such body (a) the amounts involved, (b) how the imbalance was funded in 2001–02 and (c) how the imbalance will affect the finances of the body in 2002–03.

John Hutton: holding answer 14 May 2002
	The information requested is not collected centrally.

Expenditure (NHS Bodies)

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if, on the basis of the information available to his Department in respect of the 2002–03 budgeted or projected figures, he will state which NHS trust, strategic health authority and primary care trust expects (a) to exceed its recurrent expenditure, (b) to exceed its revenue resource limit, (c) to exceed its capital resource limit and (d) to exceed its cash limit; and what amounts are involved in each case.

John Hutton: holding answer 14 May 2002
	Information on national health service trusts, strategic health authorities and primary care trusts expect in their recurrent expenditure to exceed their recurrent expenditure is not collected centrally.
	We expect all strategic health authorities and primary care trusts to operate within their agreed resource and cash limits.
	All NHS trusts are expected to operate within their agreed capital resource and external financing limits.

Allocations

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total increase in allocations for 2002–03 is for the NHS; and how much of that, in (a) value and (b) percentage terms, is accounted for by (i) generic cost pressures (ii) increases in primary care prescribing costs, (iii) increases in medical negligence costs and (iv) increases in earmarked funding.

John Hutton: holding answer 14 May 2002
	Health authority allocations for 2002–03 increased by £3,704 million, or 9.9 per cent.
	This included funding to meet increases in pay, prices and other pressures faced by all health authorities, but these are not separately identified within allocations. It also included £775 million, or 2.1 per cent. earmarked funding.